Problematic Torn Between the Two
by Kale-ness
Summary: They kissed. But will that one moment change Sam and Gates entire lives? Will they be able to commit to one another or will they stay in their lewd old ways? Based on the events following 'Crushing on the Ambulance Girl', the one-shot authored by me.
1. Introduction & Author's Notes

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Introduction

_This is where my 'author notes' will go. For every chapter that needs a note, I will post it here. I don't like the look of author notes at the top of the page and some people don't like reading them. But if you do, they will be here for you on every update:)_

* * *

**Chapter One- 'Tied Down'**

Thank you so much everyone for all the kind messages and reviews! I decided to start the 'show' one day early. I just couldn't wait to post! This first chapter is kind of just about Sam and Gates deciding to not see eachother. There is no major crisis in it (unless you could them not being together a crisis) but it kind of just starts the show.

I will be posting the next chapter tomorrow since I did promise to update on the 20th, so look forward to the next chapter soon:)

**Chapter Two- 'It Was a Mistake'**

Thanks for the reviews and messages once again! I love you and thank you so much for all the kind words. So far I noticed a lot of people seem to enjoy the 'teasers' at the end (although a few of you seem to hate the suspense winks ). My chapters will come with a recap of the previous chapter and a teaser at the end, just like the actual shows.  
Well, chapter two is up now!

**Chapter Three- 'Lacking That Something'**

Thanks again for all the reviews! I'm thinking of updating this story on Thursdays and Sundays... I don't want to update too often as... I have exams right now and... I should study for those :) After that, I will may update more often then twice a week. So... here's Thursday's chapter!

**Chapter Four- 'That She Will Always Have'**

Again guys, thanks for all the messages! I really adore you guys!  
I will still be updating Thursdays and Sundays for the next week, after that I will hopefully be able to update more then twice a week! I'm not making promises, but we'll see what I can do.

**Chapter Five- 'Sticks and Stones"**

Sorry for being late guys! I know, 31 minutes late is crazy! But I was busy today and didn't have time to upload it this morning! Thanks again for all the messages and reviews! I love you all! And yes, your teaser is a song lyric..

**Chapter Six- 'I Hate You'**

It is exactly one in the morning and I am updating! I am actually writing chapter eight right now and I forgot that I was supposed to post this an hour ago! Teehee! Sorry guys! Thanks again for reading! I love you all! And I have awesome news! The writer's strike might end soon! Cross your fingers everyone!

**Chapter Eight- 'Laughter is the Best Medicine'**

Thanks everyone for reading! It is officially 1:07am and it's my birthday! Sorry, I had to say that! I just wanted to say hello to everyone and let them know that since I'm in my second week of school now, I should be able to start updating more often. I am going to try and work it out so I update three times a week now instead of two. What does everyone think?

**Chapter Nine- 'Something in Common'**

Thanks for reading! This was the first time I wrote a sex scene in a story so... try to be nice please. I was trying to find a way to make it not to descriptive but still enough for everyone to get the idea. It probably sucked. But, like I said, I tried!  
I'm sorry for everyone who may be mad about me writing a sex scene. Sorry guys! I'll make sure to do a recap of what happened on the next chapter (without the vulgarness) so everyone who skipped reading it will know what happened other then sex.

**Chapter Ten- 'Aftermath of Something New'**

Merci for reading! Writer's Strike is done! We can expect new episodes of E.R. April 10! I am so excited! Hopefully it will return for season fifteen but if not, we have 4-6 new episodes to sum it all up with:)

**Chapter Eleven- ' Dreaming of You'**

So I updated again today, third time this week! Yippie! lol, you guys got an extra chapter in!  
I'd like to thankk jeffandjimmieschick for reviewing every chapter so far. I love you:)  
Well, I'm off to get some more writing done. I'm still arguing over whether or not I should do another 'smut' scene or not... hmm... the choices, the choices!

**Chapter Twelve-** **'Resuscitate me, doc!'**

Updated an hour early only because I'm tired and I am going to be busy tomorrow. Thanks for the reviews and to everyone who added this story to their favs/alerts. I appreciate it:)  
This chapter is a smut scene. I know, I know, some people don't like it but there is a warning up there for everyone who wants to skip the chapters with anything overtly sexual/violent/etc.  
I'll update again this weekend! Thanks!

**Chapter Thirteen- 'Amazing**

Thanks for the reviews guys! You're all amazing! I'd just like to tell everyone that, I finally got a blog! -chuckles- I'm going to be having polls and more teasers on there if anyone is interested in checking it out once in awhile. The link should be my 'homepage' on the fanfiction homepage lol!  
So yeah! Check that out if you get a second, if not... don't, it doesn't bother me either way lol! As long as you keep reading!

**Chapter Foureen- 'You're Her One and Only'**

Sorry it took so long! I have the flu -groans- so I'm a bit slow today! It's up. This one is short but the next one will be a lot longer, I promise!

**Chapter Fifteen- 'Call Her'**

So, I was asked to incorporate some 'Reela' into the mix of this, and because it seems to be so popular (and quite often, so mentioned lol), I decided I would. So, this chapter leaves you guys left wondering what happened between Sam/Gates, and I will tell you soon. Not yet. But I will tell you eventually.

**Chapter Sixteen- 'Enough Said'**

There is a tiny summary of what happened between our 'SaGa' (Sam/Gates... :) lol) but that is not the entire story. I promise I will let you on about what happened. But you'll have to wait until Sunday to find out. And then I'll update you on Sam :) I'm sure you all miss her:)  
There will be some more talk of Reela but we'll be going back to strictly Sam/Gates for the most part now. Your reviews will decide whether or not Gates and Sam get back together or if we will keep them seperated. Please leave a review with what you want to happen. I'll assume if you review that you want them together (unless you say so, then well.. I don't know why you're reading lol) but do you want them to get back together soon, later, way later, way soon... when? lol Any help is good :)

**Chapter Seventeen- 'Sorry'**

Sorry it took me so long to update. I worked all day today so I didn't get to update in the morning like I usually would. I am going to dance around the idea of Sam/Gates getting back together until someone answers my question about when they want them to deal with their problems.

**Chapter Eighteen- 'Fear'**

There it is! Part One of Problem(atic).  
I hope you enjoyed the begining of this all! It has been fun writing it! I am currently working on the second edition of the story which should be released soon. I am hoping to release it within the next couple weeks so... be prepared!


	2. Tied Down

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter One  
"Tied down"_

* * *

"_When work, commitment, and pleasure all become one and you reach that deep well where passion lives, nothing is impossible."_

* * *

_When Gates finally gets a night off from his life, the last person he expects to be at his door is Samantha Taggart. But the pleasant surprise gets better when Tony finally realizes that Sam isn't just some innocent flirting partner and kisses her. Although at first it seems to be going well, will the whole faze last?_

…

Tony Gates watched as Sam left his apartment a couple minutes later. He could still smell her hair and taste her on his lips long after she'd gone. She tasted of vanilla and coconut, the same aroma that filled his senses as he touched her hair.

He slowly made his way over to his couch and fell onto the green cushions with the thud, his mind still running the scene through his head; the scene of the two of them kissing. He'd wanted to do that for weeks now. To feel her lips against his and run his fingers through her hair. To look into her gorgeous chocolate-coloured eyes as they spoke, without having to worry about who saw them together.

He wanted to be with her. He wasn't one to really like commitment, but he wanted to be with her. It was an odd feeling, one that couldn't be described just yet, but he felt his mind running over thoughts of her quite often these past few weeks.

_Wait!_ His mind shouted, _What about everyone at work? How is this going to affect your work? _

Gates sighed, how would this affect his work? Could he keep Sam and his relationship professional? It's not like County was a very professional place, there were tons of workplace romances going on, but could he do it? Could he really work with someone who he was dating?

Could he really love a woman who was more independent then any female he'd ever met? Who would give him a run for his money long before she'd let him touch her? Could he really date the Bitch of County who told everyone just how it was?

Sam wasn't his normal choice in a woman. He'd usually choose dumb blondes or innocent women. Not someone who had a child and a life. Who had a career and could stand her ground. That was not him. He should be finding her annoying; he should find her self-reliant and liberated attitude driving him up the wall. And he did, her locked horns with her quite often, but he also found her charming, alluring, and fascinating. He would over look these, some would call flaws, and see all the good she had.

She wasn't just some shrew. She was a lot more then that. She was, in his mind, amazing. How could one woman give birth to a child at fifteen, take care of it, and find time to get a job? How could she stand up to every man in the emergency room without fear in her eyes? How could one tiny woman be such a spitfire?

…

Sam paced around her apartment, her hands rested delicately on her hips. She had kissed Gates. Tony Gates, the one guy in the work place that drove her up the wall to a point of new return. She'd kissed him.

She kissed Tony. Tony, the guy with the cocky attitude who came out into the Emergency Room like he knew everything. The guy who used to crush on Neela and every other woman who walked past him. The tall, dark haired man in the ER whose jokes she shouldn't be finding funny. The one egotistic, condescending, philandering man she swore she'd never think about in _that_ way.

But now she was.

This was the first time in a long time Sam ever got freedom. She wasn't tied down to a man. First it was Steve, and then right out of her relationship with Steve began Luka. After that, there was Ben. Then her son was the centre of her universe. With her son gone away for school, she was finally able to worry solely about herself.

And now she thought about being tied down by _Gates?_

It's not like she didn't see it coming. She knew there was something going on between them for a while now. But she never knew she'd act on it. She never knew she'd do something like that. She thought she was past the days of pretending to just 'run into' someone. Past the days where she would _innocentl_y flirt with someone and stare just too long into their eyes.

Oh, she could stare into Gates's eyes for a long time. This evening they were more of a green colour although in the ER they tended to be more hazel. She noticed this like this about him. Like how his hair always seemed to fall into his face when he was trying to concentrate, almost like it had a mind of it's own. How he showed off all the time, and although at first she found it annoying, she was beginning to find this trait endearing.

But could she really sit down and try to make a relationship with this man? He too had a kid, how would that work? Her last major relationship was in the ER, would she be able to stand another one? Would she be able to see him everyday and not get annoyed or bored? Would she be able to commit?

"I can't," she decided, still pacing, her eyes staring at the ground, "I can't date another guy in the ER!"

Sam continued to pace around her apartment; "I can't fall in love with Tony Gates."

…

Gates sat up in the couch, Could he really date that kind of woman? Could he really settle down? Yes, he was seeing Julia on and off, but she wasn't serious, could he be in a serious relationship?

"I can't," Tony decided, getting up from his spot on the green couch, " I can't fall in love with Sam Taggart!"

**TEASER**

_The ER was bustling with patients today as Tony walked into the ER. 'I should have called in sick' he thought as he headed towards the break room, dodging patients along with way, as he heard Skye say there was a motor vehicle collision victim coming in._

"_Gates!" came a voice from behind him and Tony turned around slowly, seeing a tiny brunette run towards him._

"_Gates," Sam said as she finally reached him, "Can we talk?" she asked, her voice low as she looked around, hoping no one seen her. _

"_Sure," Gates said, knowing exactly what she would want to talk about. _

"_About last night…" the nurse started, "I…didn't…" she continued to search for words before Gates cut her off, his voice short and sharp._

"_Don't worry about it," he mumbled, "It was a mistake." _

_Sam stood there for a moment before nodding, her hands going directly to her hips as Gates walked away before she could say anything. She didn't have to say anything though, he could feel her eyes bore into the back of his head like fire. _


	3. It Was a Mistake

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Two  
"It was a Mistake"_

* * *

"_Loving can cost a lot but not loving always costs more, and those who fear to love often find that want of love is an emptiness that robs the joy from life.__"_

* * *

_After a long night of thinking, Sam and Gates both come to the conclusion that no matter what they love about one another, no matter what they have in common, they cannot fall in love. Will it affect their work?_

…

The ER was bustling with patients today as Tony walked into the ER. _'I should have called in sick' he_ thought as he headed towards the break room, dodging patients along with way. He heard Skye say there was a motor vehicle collision victim coming in. _Why do so many people have to be accident-prone? Why can't they just drive right?_

"Gates!" came a voice from behind him and Tony turned around slowly, seeing a tiny brunette run towards him.

"Gates," Sam said as she finally reached him, "Can we talk?" she asked, her voice low as she looked around, hoping no one seen her. The last thing she wanted was for Morris or Frank to start teasing her about talking to Gates, she already had enough problems with them.

"Sure," Gates said, knowing exactly what she would want to talk about. She was going to tell him that she didn't mean for last night to happen. That is was all a mistake.

"About last night…" the nurse started, "I…didn't…" she continued to search for words before Gates cut her off, his voice short and sharp.

"Don't worry about it," he mumbled, "It was a mistake."

Sam stood there for a moment, her eyes widened, before she nodded, her hands going directly to her hips as Gates walked away before she could respond. She didn't have to say anything though; he could feel her eyes bore into the back of his head like fire.

Gates finally made it to the break room before Sam said anything more to him. He went to his locker and unlocked it, roughly pulling the metal contraption off the door. He threw his winter coat inside and then grabbed his stethoscope, placing it around his neck.

The resident slammed the locker door and sat down on the bench in the middle of the room. He put his head in his hands and sighed for a moment, upset with what just happened. Did he really just break it off with Sam?

How could you break it off with her? His mind asked, It didn't even start! You didn't even give it a chance!

Gates sighed again, before looking up at the lockers in front of him.

Pratt walked into the room, interrupting Gates's thoughts, "Hey!" his voice deep and anxious, "We need you out here!"

"Got it!" Gates replied, getting up from the bench and following Pratt out the door, "So, what we got?"

"Twenty-seven year-old male, Nikolas Kovalez," Pratt explained as they rushed to Trauma 2, "Bank Robbery. Broken rib pierced and deflated his left lung. Possible bone shards in the chest cavity."

Gates nodded as he entered the Trauma Room doors, he grabbed a pair of gloves and quickly snapped them on, and headed towards the patient, "How ya doing, buddy?" Gates asked as he came to the patient's side.

Sam looked up at Gates from across the table, "Central line is done," she said, her voice bitter and annoyed. Gates looked at her, confused for a moment, and Sam glared at him. Pratt noticed but decided to not mention it.

"Sam, I need a chest tube," Pratt bellowed as he looked at the screen of the monitor beside him.

Sam quickly got the large tube and stood by the patient's head. Because of her previous experience in the E.R, Sam was able to get the tube in rather quickly and Pratt smiled when he received a 'Got it' from her.

"Good job, guys," Pratt smiled, "Get him up the O.R." he said and followed the other nurse in the room out the door.

Sam took off her gloves and threw them in the trash and then began to strip the area around her, getting ready to clean. Gates watched her for a moment.

"What do you want, Gates?" she asked in an irritated tone.

Tony sighed, "Why are you acting all bitchy?" he asked, walking beside her and putting his hand on her shoulder.

Sam quickly pushed his hand away and turned to face him, looking him right in the eyes. She stood on the balls of her feet and placed her hands squarely on her hips, "None of your business," she warned, "Now if you'd like to leave me alone, I have some cleaning to do before another trauma rolls around."

Sam was about to swing around and continue to clean but Gates walked along the other side of her to look her in the face.

"What's your problem?"

"Nothing!" Sam glared up at him, "I just am not going to listen to you."

Gates looked at her for a moment longer then stormed out of the Trauma Room, shoving past Morris who stood there holding charts.

"Gates, wait up!" he hollered, running after him, "I have something for you!"

"Not now, Morris, I'm trying to…" he began but the short redhead cut him off.

"It's from Julia," he teased and Gates spun around to look at him, "Okay, okay. I got it, here" Morris said, handing the envelope to him.

Gates opened the white paper and smiled at the note inside. It asked him to join her for dinner, mentioning that last time was fun. Gates placed the note inside the pocket of his blue shrubs and continued to walk off, leaving a forgotten Archie behind.

…

Sam groaned as she finished cleaning and began to leave the Trauma Room. The brunette started walking towards the admit desk to get some paperwork she needed. She had just reached the desk when she seen Chuny.

"Chuny!" Sam yelled at the tall brunette, who swung around at the sound of her voice and began to walk towards her.

"Hey Sam!" Chuny said with a smile, "When did you get on?"

"About an hour ago," she responded, "You?"

"I'm off in an hour," Chuny replied and Sam smacked her arm gently.

"Lucky!" she said as she grabbed the paperwork she was looking for, " I have a long while to go."

"You going out with Ethen after work?" Chuny asked, as Sam grabbed a pen and began to fill out the paperwork.

"Maybe. Haven't spoke to him since last time," Sam responded, not looking up from the sheet.

Chuny nodded, "How did that go?" she asked, "You guys seem to be getting along."

"He's okay,"

"Just okay,"

"Yup," Sam replied, looking up at Chuny, "Just okay."

"What about Officer Litchman?"

"He's okay, too"

"You're not impressed by them, are you?" Chuny said and Sam laughed.

"They're okay," the nurse responded, "It's not a big deal anyway. I'm having fun, and that's all that matters."

"That's right," Chuny cheered, " At least you're getting some."

Sam laughed, "Who said I was 'getting some'?"

"Are you?"

"Maybe…" Sam said then laughed, "It doesn't matter anyway."

"I have to get back to work, but you're going to tell me about what's going on between you and you're men" Chuny said and Sam laughed.

"Yeah, right!" Sam giggled and Chuny waved goodbye as she headed towards one of the patients.

**TEASER**

_Gates continued on throughout his shift, trying so hard to get earlier out of his mind. He tried to think about Julia, about what they would do later, what she had in store. He really admired her for her mind. She was very open to almost everything that the world could offer her. But she wasn't special. She lacked that something. She lacked that extra flair that made him want to smile._

_So when Tony's shift finally ended over ten hours later, he spent his entire date with the Chaplain thinking about his 'something'. About that tiny brunette that ran around County with a little trot and a hop in her walk. The one girl that could get up in his face and not be scared to hurt his feelings or tell him how it was_.


	4. Lacking That Something

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Three  
"Lacking that Something"_

* * *

_"I'm talking about fate here - when feelings are so powerful it's as if some f__orce beyond your control is guiding you to someone who can make you happy beyond your wildest dreams."_

* * *

Gates continued on throughout his shift, trying so hard to get earlier out of his mind. He tried to think about Julia, about what they would do later, what she had in store. He really admired her for her mind. She was very open to almost everything that the world could offer her. But she wasn't special. She lacked that something. She lacked that extra flair that made him want to smile.

So when Tony's shift finally ended over ten hours later, he spent his entire date with the Chaplain thinking about his 'something'. About that tiny brunette that ran around County with a little trot and a hop in her walk. The one girl that could get up in his face and not be scared to hurt his feelings or tell him how it was.

He thought about how he had ended it earlier. How she was giving him attitude and he knew he'd hurt her. But how? She must have thought the same as him, right? She couldn't possibly want to date him when she had a couple other guys in line for her? Right?

"Tony," a little voice startled him from his thoughts. That little voice sat across from him at a dinner table and Gates found himself in a fancy restaurant when he awoke from his dreams.

"Sorry, what?" he responded, looking at the little woman across from him. He hated not paying attention to a woman he brought out to dinner. If you ignored her now, she would ignore you later.

Julia sighed, "Were you paying attention?" she asked, obviously a little bitter.

"Sorry, long day at work, must have zoned out…" Gates explained, rubbing his temples with his index fingers, " Could you say that again?"

Julia nodded, "I was just asking how that Bank robbery guy went earlier," she asked with a smile.

"Oh," Gates smiled, "He went okay. Surgery had a few minor problems, but it got solved as far as I'm aware."

"Did they catch the guy who robbed him?" Julia asked, taking a sip of wine from the glass in front of her.

Gates nodded, "Yup,"

"Well," Julia smiled at the man across from her, "I was thinking… we could leave and… maybe fix some of those kinks you got from work…" her voice was low.

Gates grunted for a moment and smiled, "Sounds good to me, how fast can we get the bill?"

…

Normally, Sam would have loved to sit around for an evening dinner with a room full of men-in-uniform. Normally, she would have been swooning over them and flirting with them, all the while hanging off of Officer Litchman's arm. But this evening wasn't any evening. This evening was a long, and tiresome, evening of Sam worrying about one of her colleagues.

If anything, Sam should be referring to him as her 'boss', as that's what doctors seem to think, that they are the boss. But Sam didn't think doctors were automatically bosses and she didn't accept that this guy had an effect on her; that this one doctor had some type of control over her.

Sam wasn't the kind of woman to allow a guy to take control. If anything, she wore the pants in every relationship she'd ever been in, whether she liked it or not. But what Sam hated more then a guy having control over her was when a guy had control over her and knew it. Gates definitely knew that he had an effect on her. She supposed he'd found that out when she bitched him out after patient number twenty-seven because he was doing something that could possibly result in the worst, or best (although she'd never admit it if it did).

Sam sighed, leaning against the back of her chair as the men in front of her laughed about something. She noticed it was football related and she tried to ignore the comments about certain teams that were obviously false. The cops didn't seem to like it when a 'little lady' corrected them on who was going to win the Super Bowl this year.

She groaned and looked at Officer Litchman who appeared deep into the conversation and Sam noted that she would be here for at least another two hours before she'd be able to escape with him in toe. It had been a long night and she hated being alone. Even if Officer Litchman was the last man she wanted to spend the night with, he was the only one she knew that wouldn't think twice about going home with her. She really didn't want to be alone.

Ever since Alex went away for school, Sam felt alone in her apartment. She could hear every creek of the floors, the buzz of the refrigerator, the ticking of the clock… the neighbours yelling. The apartment felt cold and lonely; Sam hated it.

Sam sighed again and looked at the clock above the bar. 11:02. The young nurse yawned and smiled when Litchman looked down at her. She wanted to seem interested, really she did, but she could barely keep her eyes open. Or her thoughts off of Gates.

Had he really called her a mistake? Was she really something that he could just walk away from? What was wrong with her?

Sam wanted to call up Chuny and ask her if she really was a mistake. But she knew that a Nurse could never keep a secret and that odds are everyone would know about Gates and herself within moments of talking to Chuny.

But she wanted to talk badly. To try and figure out why she was a mistake and yet the man who called her it was always on her mind. To figure out what was wrong with her.

Sam looked over at Officer Litchman and yawned, her body starting to ache from being on her feet for so long.

It would be a long night.

_Gates lay in bed, his arm draped around a sleeping Julia, playing with her hair. The evening had went quite well, he had dinner with Julia, the two walked home talking about life, and then spent the rest of the evening getting 'close'. But if it was so good, why in the world was he laying in bed after sex thinking about another woman?_

_Gates sighed. Was it bad to have spent the entire time having sex with Julia, wishing he were with Sam? Yes, that is definitely bad, his mind told him and he groaned, he was acting like an asshole. He never thought he would result to this. That he would be with one woman whilst having a crush on another._


	5. That She Will Always Have

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Four  
"That she will always have"_

* * *

"_Before I sleep and after I wake up and all the hours in between ... you occupy my mind. So, practically every moment of the day you are in my thoughts."_

* * *

_Gates went on a date with Julia, only to spend the entire time thinking about Sam. Sam went to Officer Litchman's work party, only to think about Gates. So how can two people who are not in love spend an entire evening pretending it?_

Gates lay in bed, his arm draped around a sleeping Julia, playing with her hair. The evening had went quite well, he had dinner with Julia, the two walked home talking about life, and then spent the rest of the evening getting 'close'. But if it was so good, why in the world was he laying in bed after sex thinking about another woman?

Gates sighed. Was it bad to have spent the entire time having sex with Julia, wishing he were with Sam? _Yes, that is definitely bad_, his mind told him and he groaned, he was acting like an asshole. He never thought he would result to this. That he would be with one woman whilst having a crush on another.

Was it a crush? He didn't know. All he knew was that Sam invaded his thoughts the majority of the day. That he could hardly think when he was around her and couldn't stop when he wasn't. He had no clue what to do with himself half the time, his mind would just run over things she said earlier in the day, or what she was wearing, how her hair looked. Gates could not get her off his mind.

Julia groaned for a moment and rolled over, disturbing Gates from his thoughts. Thankfully, she remained asleep and Gates' mind was plagued with the vision of Sam getting in his face earlier in the day. He wanted so bad to take that delicate face in his hands and kiss her again. To just take her right there, no matter who was watching.

He looked over at Julia again who lay asleep beside him and he sighed. He did care for Julia, but she wasn't Sam. He wasn't infatuated with her anymore. He wasn't thinking about her 24/7.

…

Sam watched Officer Litchman's chest rise and fall as she lay in bed next to him, the blankets wrapped around her tightly. She felt freezing cold even though the apartment was quite warm. She felt alone even though someone was right beside her.

The brunette sighed, pictures of Gates filling her mind as she pulled the blankets closer to her chest. What was she doing sleeping with _him_ when she wanted to be with someone else? What was she doing? Was she just doing it because she could?

_Gates doesn't want to sleep with you_, Sam's mind screamed, _He called you a mistake, remember?_

'I'm not a mistake,' she told herself, 'He was just scared… and it's not like you didn't speak up about how you felt anyway… it's your fault too!'

_What kind of guy tells a woman she's a mistake when he wants to sleep with her?_

Sam groaned, she couldn't decide whether or not Tony was serious about what he had said. Was she really a mistake? Or was he just scared and said it? She would probably never know. She is sleeping with Officer Litchman and from what she knows Gates was dating Julia. The two had relationships. They didn't need anymore, did they?

The tiny brunette sighed and closed her eyes sleepily, trying to think about anything but Gates. She needed to sleep, she had to be at work in the morning, and she needed to be asleep in order to function tomorrow.

She slowly began to count sheep; a childish habit, but one that seemed to work and before long the brunette was lulled into a light slumber.

…

Sam awoke the next morning to the sound of her alarm clock buzzing through the apartment. She groaned and mumbled incoherent curse words before rolling over and slamming the 'snooze' button on the top of the little black box that sat atop her nightstand.

The brunette lay there for a moment longer before opening her eyes. She looked over to the other side of her bed and noticed that Officer Litchman had left. Sam groaned once more,

"Asshole…" she said quietly and slowly sat up in bed. Sam ran her fingers through her hair and looked at the wall in front of her. Slowly the room began to look clearer and she could finally see straight after a few moments.

Sam slowly drug herself out of bed and made her way to the washroom in a heavy walk. The brunette flicked on the light to the washroom and began to remove her clothing. She turned on her shower and carefully stepped inside; allowing her body to get used to the hot water.

Sam washed her body and hair, turned off the water, and pulled open the shower curtain. She stepped out of the shower and onto the cool tile floor and then grabbed a towel from the hook on the wall beside her; towel dried her body and wrapped the towel around her body.

Sam brushed her hair, dried it, and then straightened it, taking extra care to her bangs. She then walked out of the washroom, still towel-clad, and grabbed her scrubs from her room. Sam got dressed and then pulled her hair into a ponytail, making sure it would stay put throughout the day. The last thing she needed was to have her hair fall out when she was in a trauma.

Sam grabbed her coat and made her way out the door. She quickly walked down the hallway and took the stairs down to the back exit and made her way to her parked car. She cursed the metal contraption when it made that 'funny sound' but started the ignition and pulled out of the parking space and onto the street.

It was only a few minutes to County and Sam was glad to have arrived early when she did since she could stop and get a coffee, a large Latte. The brunette parked her car and got out, slamming the door behind her, cursing the machine.

"Stupid tin can," she mumbled and turned away from the car only to be face-to-face with Tony Gates, "Oh… uh… sorry!"

Gates put his hands in the air and stepped back, "No problem," he said quietly, trying to not make thing awkward, "What's wrong with your car?"

"Probably engine problems…" Sam responded, pulling her coat closer to her chest, " It's making a funny noise."

"Did you bring it to a mechanic?" Tony asked, noticing her pulling on her coat. He wanted pull her into his arms and make her warmer. He didn't like seeing her cold but he knew it would just make things worse if he tried something like that.

"Not yet… I'm scared if I bring it in they will tell me I have more then just that wrong with it,"

Gates nodded and then heard Skye yell for them; telling them to come in and that they were needed. Gates was thankful to be interrupted, as he didn't want to have this awkward conversation anymore.

"God damnit!" Sam cursed as she began walking towards County, "I wanted to get coffee."

Gates nodded, he'd have to remember she drank coffee. Maybe in another life-time he'd be able to sit down and enjoy one with her without having to be worried about who seen them and their other relationships.

…

"And where am I going to get my coffee?"

"Jumbo Mart. In fact, you should get us all one!"

Sam smiled, "Yeah! I'll take a Large Latte…" Gates frowned at Haleh suggestion as he listened to everyone else tell him their coffee orders. Gates nodded after they finished, "I'll be at the Jumbo Mart if anyone needs me!"

…

"Here Sam, your order," Gates smiled, handing the young nurse her coffee a while later.

"Thanks," the brunette grinned, opening the plastic top and taking a sip, "Do you want me to give you money for it? You didn't look pleased earlier…"

"Nah," Tony shook his head, " I don't mind buying for you…"

Sam smiled, "Well, thanks then…" she said, taking another sip.

Tony stood beside her for a moment as she went over charts at the admit desk. Everyone else seemed preoccupied so he supposed this was as alone as they were going to get.

"Sam… about before… uh…" Gates stuttered over his words, he didn't know what to say to her or how he'd explain himself. " I didn't mean to … uh… call you a…"

"A mistake?" Sam offered and Tony nodded, "Don't worry about it, Gates. I understand."

"It wasn't a mistake, " he said and Sam stared at him wide-eyed for a moment. She opened her mouth to say something but before she could think of a response, Gates walked off to see one of the patients.

* * *

**Teaser**

'_It would never be a mistake…'_

_Gates sighed as he walked away from Sam. He wanted so bad to tell her that she wasn't a mistake. He couldn't believe he led her on to thinking that. Kissing her would never have been a mistake. It would be a privilege!_

_  
'In fact, kissing her right now would be a dream come true…'_

_But Gates couldn't do that right now. He had to sort things out with the Chaplain before he decided to go kiss another woman. He owed her that much, right?_


	6. Sticks and Stones

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Five  
"Sticks and Stones"_

* * *

_"Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, falling in love with you was beyond my control!"_

* * *

'_It wasn't a mistake,'_

Sam wanted to jump up and down when she heard those words, they made her feel like she could fly. It was childish, but when he said 'it was a mistake' she felt hurt. The childhood rhyme 'sticks and stones' had it wrong; words did hurt. But now that she was told she wasn't a mistake she felt a lot happier about being near Gates.

Sam smiled as one of the patients left and she looked towards Gates who stood beside her.

"Hey! Alex is in town, we're going to see a movie, if you and Sarah wanted to come…" she mentioned to him, hoping to finally meet Sarah.

"Can we do it another time? I have… I have this thing I need to do…"

"Yeah…" Sam smiled, "Anytime."

"Yeah, you sure?"

"Mmhmm, " she nodded as she walked away. Although she'd wished that he had said yes, she wasn't about to come down from the cloud nine she was on now that her fears were washed away.

_. She wasn't a mistake._

Gates sat at the bar with Julia, sipping a beer as she spoke.

"Did you hear about what Sam said to Abby at the meeting?" Julia asked him as she sipped her drink.

"Yeah," Gates said, thinking back, "I was there."

Julia nodded, " I imagine Sam has had some problems with alcoholics before…" she said, waiting to see if Gates knew anything about Sam's past.

"I've never heard anything about that," he said, looking around the bar.

"Well, she has had some problems going on so that may contribute to why she's being short with Abby," Julia sighed and then took another drink.

"What kind of problems?" Gates asked, looking back at Julia. He'd never heard of any problems Sam had had. Why didn't he know?

"Oh! Chuny was talking about how some guy had brought Sam down," Julia said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Something about her being a mistake. I assume that's why she's been so cranky lately…"

Gates' heart sunk. Had he really let Sam think she was a mistake? Had he really put that woman down like that? He smacked himself inside and Julia frowned as she watched Tony's face grow sad.

"Did you know about that?" she asked quietly. She could tell by his face that he knew something, but she wasn't sure how much.

Gates nodded, " I've… um… heard about it," he replied, trying to act normal, "But I never thought much of it.

Julia nodded and continued sipping at her drink whilst glancing at Tony ever so often.

…

Sam had just clocked into her shift and was running out the E.R. But instead of being greeted by the normal amount of ambulances and cold air, she was met by Tony Gates.

"Sam!" he yelled and she looked up at him, shocked to see him there, "It wasn't just the battery!" He tossed Sam her keys.

"Where did you get my keys?" she asked, surprised.

"You also had alternator issues," he finished but was cut off by Sam.

"You stole my keys and fixed my car?"

"I think the proper response would be 'Thank you, Tony'," he said with a nod, "I tightened the connections and got you all charged up!"

"Ooo," Skye said as she walked out the door, "That sounds like fun!"

"I thought you were dating the Chaplain!"

"It's my car!" Sam tried to say, "…it was… my car!"

"Car…" Tony added as well trying to act equally as shocked. He was surprised someone took to noticing the thing between Sam and himself. Was it that obvious?

…

"Sam!" Tony bellowed as he followed the nurse through the E.R. doors, " Hey, Sam!" He continued following her as she so blatantly ignored him, " What's with you today?"

"Nothing," she said simply, continuing on trying to get everything ready for the patient in the trauma room. After seeing everyone start to notice the little 'thing' going on between her and Gates she decided to cut it off. She wanted oh so badly for it to continue but every time she thought of the idea of Gates and herself together, Julia's face came to mind. She would think back to when she was first dating Luka and he kissed that 'French girl'. It hurt her to see that and Sam could never do that to another woman. She couldn't see Tony whilst he was seeing the Chaplain.

" Then why do you have to 'Plan B' me all the time?" Tony asked and was quickly cut off by Sam.

"Plan B you?" she asked, not understanding what he was saying.

"Seems like whatever I say, you have a better idea," Tony explained, standing beside her as she searched through a cart.

"That's not true,"

"Ah, yes Sam, it is true," He said, following her back to another cart, "Bear hugger versus water blanket, morphine versus fentanyl"

"Okay, come on, you sound crazy," she responded, looking up at him.

"No, whatever I want, you give me that look then you want something different,"

"What look?" she asked, raising a brow.

"That one! That one right there" he said pointing at her face. _That adorable look on your face you get when you get defensive! _His mind screamed but he neglected to share that little piece of information with her.

"Tony, I don't blindly accept orders from someone just because they come from a doctor, or a man" she said, picking up all the supplies she needed, "I've been doing this a lot longer then you have and I can think for myself, if you don't like that, it's too bad"

Sam walked away and Gates stood by the cart dumbfounded. Had she really just said that? She left him speechless, par usual, and he finally realized it.

…

Gates stood by the desk with Frank as he waited for the ambulance to scream it's call into the ambulance bay. He was still trying to get over the attitude Sam was giving him the entire shift. She was 'Plan B'-ing him a lot!

_Speak of the devil!_

Sam walked over to the desk with a file in her hand and headed towards the computer. Frank started mumbling about how she was taking over his computer but she ignored him and he walked away.

Gates leaned down beside her, "So what is really wrong with you?"

"Nothing!" she retorted, but Gates shook his head and was about to ask again when she stuck her hand in front of his face, "I know you don't like working with me, Gates, but you'll have to deal with it!"

But again when he was about to respond, a mass of hockey players stormed into the E.R.

Gates sighed as he walked away from Sam. He wanted so bad to tell her that she wasn't a mistake. He couldn't believe he led her on to thinking that. Kissing her would never have been a mistake. It would be a privilege!

_'In fact, kissing her right now would be a dream come true…'_

But Gates couldn't do that right now. He had to sort things out with the Chaplain before he decided to go kiss another woman. He owed her that much, right? He wasn't usually the kind of guy to worry about things like this. About hurting someone's feelings. But it seemed that once he got Sarah back into his life, he wanted to be a better person. So she'd have someone to look up to. And if that meant solving things between Julia and himself, he'd have to do that.

Gates found Julia sitting outside in the cold a while later and he sighed, "I heard what happened in there,"

"Yeah…" Julia nodded, not looking up at him.

"What ya thinking?" he asked, sitting beside her.

"I'm thinking I should take a break from County…"

"What?" Gates replied, shocked that those words came out of her mouth, "Why?"

"I'm doubting myself… I can't be doing that… I need some time to think about things," Julia responded, "I'm sorry…"

"Don't be," Gates said, putting his arm around her, "Take all the time you need."

The two sat in silence for almost an entire minute, lost in their own thoughts before Julia spoke.

"You love her… don't you?"

"What?"

"Sam…" Julia said, looking out into the Chicago scenery before her, "I seen the way you two look at each other…"

"Julia.. I .. um,"

The Chaplain cut him off, "Don't" she said simply, "Give it a shot with her…"

"I'm sorry,"

"Don't be," Julia said with a smile, reciting his previous words, "See where it brings you two… I have faith that you will make someone really happy one day, Tony. You just need to find the right person."

* * *

**Teaser**

"You don't know how you met me, you don't know why you can't turn around and say goodbye. All you know is when I'm with you, I make you free, and swim through your veins like a fish in the sea..."

**Follow Me- Uncle Kracker**


	7. I Hate You

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Six  
"I Hate You"_

* * *

"You don't know how you met me  
You don't know why, you cant turn around and say good-bye  
All you know is when I'm with you I make you free  
And swim through your veins like a fish in the sea"

* * *

Gates sat at the bar sipping a beer as he waited to see if Sam would show up. He'd asked her earlier to join him and Teddy at 'Ike Ryan's' and he was anxious to see if she would show up or blow him off.

"_Sam!" yelled Tony as he followed her and their patient towards the elevators, "Hey buddy, you sick of us down here?" he said to the child lying in the gurney._

"_No.. I… I like it," Gabriel, the little boy replied and Tony laughed._

"_You like it?" he asked, surprised, "You're a weird kid, you know that right?"_

"_He likes the Jell-o," Gabriel's mom explained, "Thanks again, doctor"_

"_You're welcome," Tony replied, "You take care of your mom, okay?" he said to Gabriel who nodded in reply, "Sam, any beds open up?_

"_Well, I had to threaten the charge nurse with physical violence, but something opened up," she replied as she pushed the 'up' button on the elevator and walked over to one of the carts to get some paperwork._

"_Hey, we're heading over to Ike Ryan's, you should come!" Tony suggested and Sam looked at him peculiarly._

"_Should I?" she asked, surprised._

"_Yeah, as long as if I order you a beer, you don't change it to a vodka gimlet or something," Tony teased and Sam rolled her eyes._

"_Well I don't know," she replied. She didn't know if she should go to a bar with Tony. He was still with the Chaplain as far as she knew and Sam wasn't getting involved in that. "I have to report upstairs and I have to… uh… do some more stuff down here,"_

"_Come on! It's not everyday a case like this turns into a Jell-o-loving-eleven-year-old in the same shift." Tony said quietly, hoping to convince her they were just 'celebrating the case'._

"_That's for sure," Sam said with a genuine smile and began to walk away towards the opening elevator doors. _

"_Well…" Gates said, hoping to get her answer._

"_Well?" Sam replied, before grinning, "I'll see if I can make it," she teased._

_Gates stood there, his mouth hanging open as he watched her get into the elevator without looking back. _

Teddy looked over at Tony with a grin, "You like her, don't you?" he said and Tony looked up quickly from his glass as he snapped out of his thoughts.

"What?"

"Sam… you like her," Teddy explained and Tony sat in the stool not knowing how to reply, "I see the way you two were looking at each other during that trauma…"

Tony grunted, "We are… uh… just…"

"Don't even," Teddy laughed, "I get it. You don't need to explain to me."

Just then Sam joined them at the bar, "Hey guys!" she said with a smile, running her hand over Tony's back before she put her bag and coat down on the bar.

"Hey Sam!" Teddy said with a smile, "Great job today"

"Thank you. You too!" she replied, sitting on the stool next to Tony.

"Hey!" Tony greeted Sam and kicked Teddy underneath the bar, hoping he'd catch the hint to go away, "Gabriel all tucked in?"

"Yes, the IC nurses are fawning all over him," Sam replied with a smile.

Teddy was called over to the pool table and Gates was happy to see him get up to leave, "My turn to win some money," Teddy grinned.

"Alright!" Tony replied, as he walked away, "So what are you drinking?" He asked Sam with a smile.

Sam sighed, "Actually I can't stay" she said. She wanted to enjoy a drink with Tony but she couldn't get over the fact that Tony was in a relationship. Sure, Sam had her own dates, but they were nothing serious.

"Oh so… you came here to tell me that you can't come here?" Tony teased with a chuckle.

"Yeah," Sam replied, rolling her eyes.

"Really, have you heard of a cell phone?" Tony continued to tease her.

"Alright, you know what? You're right. It's dumb, I shouldn't have come here, I wasn't thinking." Sam mumbled, grabbing her belongings from the bar in front of her and getting up off the bar stool.

"Wow, she admits that she wasn't thinking, alert the media!" Tony heard the words come out of his mouth and wanted to smack himself. Was he really saying something that stupid just to try and get her to stay?

"Screw you, Gates" Sam replied and began walking away.

"Come on! Stay here," Gates said, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her back towards the bar, "Will you get her a beer please?"

Sam thought for a moment, "Vodka Gimlet, with a twist" she said to the bartender and then grinned at Tony who shook his head.

"You're serious?" he asked and Sam nodded. Gates chuckled and shook his head again as the bartended placed Sam's drink in front of her.

"So, why couldn't you stay?" he asked her, taking a sip of his beer.

Sam sighed, "Gates… I… uhh… I can't be just hanging out with you while you're dating Julia…" she explained, "I know, it sounds stupid but… I've been the 'other woman' before and even if nothing happens between us, I can't let her think something did…"

"Julia and I aren't together anymore," Gates said and Sam looked up at him, shocked, "She said she needed a break from everything and we broke up."

Sam nodded, "Did she know about… us?"

"Is there an 'us'?" Gates asked and Sam sighed.

"Is there?" she asked him and the two sat in silence for a moment, just thinking. Just then the song changed and Sam began to hum along the words.

"What song is this?" Tony asked, watching her sing along quietly.

"_You don't know how you met me, you don't know why you can't turn around and say goodbye. All you know is when I'm with you, I make you free, and swim through your veins like a fish in the sea..."_ Sam said, singing the words out loud and Gates laughed.

"I didn't know you could sing!" he said and Sam blushed.

"I'm a drunk singer," she giggled, " I sing in the shower and in the car and… that's about it…"

Gates nodded, "Well, you have a nice voice."

"Thank you," Sam blushed again, "And the song is 'Follow Me' by Uncle Kracker."

Gates nodded and listened to more of the song as Sam and himself sipped their drinks. He didn't know what to say to her. It was almost like one of those awkward first dates when he was in Junior High. Except, he wasn't in Junior High anymore and Sam definitely didn't look like one of the girls he went to school with. She was more mature looking. Her hair looked amazing and she wore this long sleeved black shirt that plunged just low enough to leave a guy wanting more. She had on high-heeled boots that gave the illusion that she was taller then she really was.

Gates was about to ask her about what she had said to Chuny but Sam spoke first.

"I should go," she said, placing her half empty glass on the bar, "I really wasn't supposed to stay."

"What? You got some hot plans?" Gates teased and Sam rolled her eyes.

"No. I told Chuny I'd take her shift for tomorrow morning and I need to sleep," Sam explained and Tony nodded.

"I'll wait for a cab with you," he said as she got up and Gates grabbed her coat and held it out to put it on her. She chuckled and let him put it on her. She looked up at him and he smiled, their faces inching closer. They were mere millimetres from kissing when Sam pulled away.

"I really should go," she said and grabbed her purse from the bar and heading towards the door. Gates followed her out into the cold Chicago air and smiled as Sam called herself a cab.

"So, you have heard of a cell phone!" he said, motioning towards the phone in her hand. Sam laughed and looked out at the street, pulling her coat closer to herself.

The two stood in silence for a couple minutes, not knowing what to say, yet again. It wasn't long before the cab came and Sam smiled, "Thank you for waiting with me."

"No problem," Gates replied and Sam began walking towards the cab before she spun around and looked at him.

"Ethanol was a good call with that kid. Probably should have done it sooner. It's annoying, but you were right." Sam said, not looking him in the face. She hated saying he was right, but she had to do it.

"Thank you… and Sam… I do like working with you," Gates said and Sam looked at him raising an eyebrow, "Other then the relentless interrogation, second guessing, and the constantly blowing me off when I give you orders…"

Before Tony could continue, Sam mumbled a "Shut up" and quickly walked over to him, placing her hands on his face, and pulling him in for a kiss. She didn't know why she did it, but she was glad when his hands went around her waist and pulled her up into him, returning the kiss. Sam knew she needed to get into the cab and should pull away but her body didn't want to let him go. Gates didn't want to let go either but knew he had to eventually and placed her on the ground again, the two still not letting go on each other.

Sam finally let go of his face and gently pushed him away with a smile, "I hate you!" she teased and walked over to the cab.

"I hate you, too!" Tony said, awe-struck once more by her. He watched her get into the cab and stick her tongue out at him and he stood there for a few minutes longer with a dumb smile on his face.

* * *

**Teaser**

"What are we doing?" Sam asked, looking up at him with 'that look' and Gates stood in shock, not knowing how to reply.


	8. Take it Slow

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Seven  
"Take it Slow"_

* * *

_"The best love is the kind that awakens the soul; that makes us reach for more, that plants the fire in our hearts and brings peace to our minds."_

_

* * *

_

The air was cold and crisp as Gates walked into the ambulance bay the next day on his way to work. He was smiling inside and out at the fact that a little nurse was supposed to be working that day and he'd get to see her again. He couldn't get her out of her mind for the past few days and after getting to kiss her again, his mind was only led on more.

Gates grinned when he seen the tiny brunette standing outside the E.R. doors waiting for the ambulance to come. He hurried over to her and greeted her with a smile, "Hey," he whispered.

Sam smiled back and pulled her scrubs closer to her body as she looked out at the ambulance bay, " Hey," she replied quietly, " When do you get on?"

Gates looked at his watch, "Now," he concluded, " When did you start?"

"Two hours ago," Sam replied as she seen the ambulance pull in, "It has been crazy!" she yelled as she walked over to the ambulance with Abby and was filled in on the patient.

Gates smiled and walked inside the E.R., heading towards the break room to put his coat away. After he was done getting ready, he quickly ran back outside to greet the next ambulance.

…

Sam walked over to the medicine lock-up as she looked at one of the charts in her hands. Her patient count was getting lower as she neared the seventh hour of her shift but she was far from done. The day had been crazy and she was excited to look at the clock and notice she was over half way done her shift.

As she walked inside the small room and looked up at the shelf, she wasn't greeted by the usual bottles of drugs but by a tall handsome doctor. Before Sam could say hello, Gates had his mouth on hers and Sam giggled. She kissed him back then pushed him away and looked around to make sure no one seen them.

"Embarrassed by me?" Tony asked, Sam blushed and shook her head, "Then why are you looking around like a deer in the headlights?"

"What are we doing?" Sam asked and Tony looked at her in shock, taken back by her question. Sam continued to look at the shelf for the drugs she was supposed to be grabbing.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked.

"Like… What are we doing? Are we… going to be serious about this or are we just going to be kissing in the closets of the E.R.?" Sam said as she grabbed one of the bottles off of the cabinet.

"I don't know," he replied as he watched her, " I just know that…" As he spoke Sam stood on her tiptoes to reach one of the boxes she needed and Gates reached up and grabbed it for her. She mumbled her thanks and he continued, "I like you."

Sam smiled, " I like you, too," she said, looking up at him, "But until we figure all of this out, can we take it slow? I just… need some time to figure everything out…"

Tony nodded, "Yeah, take all the time you need," he replied and watched as she headed towards her patients. Although he didn't really want to 'take it slow', Gates in a way understood where she was coming from. It was the first time in a long time that he worried about the needs of a woman rather then his own. It was an odd sensation, to see someone want something totally different then you and then find yourself wanting the same thing only to make them happy. It was strange and yet Gates enjoyed it. Sam was the first woman in a long time that made him want to be a better person and that was just what he was going to do.

…

Sam groaned as she pulled on her coat at the end of her shift. The day had been long and busy and she couldn't wait to just go home and sleep. To idea of curling up in bed and relaxing was the only thing that kept Sam going throughout the long hours and she was glad to see it in the near future.

The tiny nurse exited County moments later, entering the cold and crisp air of winter in Chicago. In a way she was glad it was so cold, it meant she would be able to stay awake as she drove herself home.

"Sam!"

The sound of her name being called interrupted her thoughts and the brunette twirled around to look at the source of the noise.

"Hey!" she said with a smile as she saw Gates was the one who called her name and he walked closer to her, "When do you get off?"

"Not for another couple hours," he replied and Sam nodded before yawning, "Tired?" he asked and Sam nodded.

"Just a bit," she smiled.

Gates put his hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze, "Go home and get some sleep then!" he grinned and Sam rolled her eyes.

"That's the idea," she smiled, "But I have to be back at work for seven."

"You work another shift?"

Sam nodded, "Yeah. I took Chuny's and then I have mine to work in… five hours. So I'll at least get to go home and take a nap before I come back."

Gates shook his head, "You're crazy, you know that?" and Sam smiled at what he said.

"Yup, that's me! Crazy!" she smiled and Gates put his arm around her and kissed her forehead. Sam smiled again. He was being so gentle with her and she loved it. She was usually treated like she was the strongest person in the world. Gates was the first man to ever treat her like she was fragile and it made her feel good. She felt like a woman for once.

"Everyone loves you for it, though," he smiled and Sam blushed a bit.

"I should go…" she replied, "You know… sleep is calling me."

Gates nodded and gave her one final squeeze before letting her leave. Sam wanted to curl up in Gates arms right then and there but she knew she had to take it slow. Not because she wanted to, but because she knew she needed to. If she wanted to make this relationship work, she needed to pace herself. She needed to not give into her impulse control problems but mostly she just needed to go along for the ride. She needed to stop trying to jump into things.

…

Sam had arrived home and fell asleep soon after for about three hours. After which she knew she had to get up or she wouldn't get up later on when she really needed to. She hated working so many hours but to keep Alex in the school he was in and to keep living where she was, Sam needed to pull some of these random work schedules off.

Sam lay in bed for another few moments before she heard her doorbell ring. She wasn't expecting anyone and groaned in protest at the sound, which meant she needed to get herself out of bed.

The doorbell rung again and Sam yelled an "I'm coming!" at the door before pulling on a pair of sweatpants and walking over to it. She opened it to reveal Gates standing at the door with coffee.

"Sorry if I woke you," he said and Sam smiled and leaned her head against the doorframe.

"I was awake," she replied and opened the door wider, "Come in."

Gates walked inside and smiled at the tiny apartment. It was cluttered but had a comfortable feel to it. He smiled and handed her the coffee, " Latte, right?" he said and Sam nodded, almost shocked that he remembered what kind of coffee she drank. She motioned towards the sofa that sat in the middle of the room. Gates sat down and Sam dropped herself beside him and pulled her legs up closer to herself before taking a sip of the coffee.

"What brings you here?" she asked quietly, "I'm not complaining or anything but…"

"I thought you'd need a coffee before work," he answered, "No pressure or anything. Just thought I'd be nice."

Sam smiled, "Thank you," she replied sincerely and Gates shook his head.

"No problem,"

The two sat in silence for a moment before Sam spoke, " So, when do you plan on making me have drinks with you?" she asked with a grin and Gates chuckled.

"So you're actually going to go get drinks with me?" he asked and Sam nodded.

"I suppose I should," she replied, " I mean, you brought me coffee and all. It's the least I could do."

Gates chuckled, "We can go slow, Sam," he said, in a serious tone, "I'm not going to push you into this. If you don't want to go then," Gates was about to continue when Sam moved forward and kissed him. He groaned into her mouth and Sam giggled before pulling away.

"You need to learn to not talk sometimes," she teased, still leaned over him.

Gates laughed, "What happened to taking it slow?" he challenged as he took his and her coffee and sat them on the coffee table.

"I'm not good at it," Sam decided, "Plus, we already kissed before. So if anything, we're still in the same spot."

Gates smiled and locked lips with her again before slowly pushing her onto her back on her side of the couch so he lay overtop of her. Sam smiled and bit his lip gently, " So, are you okay with where we're at, or do we need to take it back a step?" she teased, trying to mock his previous tone.

"No going backwards," he replied, kissing her again.

**

* * *

**

**Teaser**

_Sarah giggled, "I knew it!" she squealed and Gates rolled his eyes at her excitement, "Do you need some help picking out your clothes?"_

"_No, Sarah," he groaned, "I'm perfectly capable of picking out my own clothes, thank you!"_

"_So, why are you standing around in your boxers then?"_


	9. Laughter is the Best Medicine

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Eight  
"Laughter is the Best Medicine"_

* * *

_"Blessed are we who can laugh at ourselves, for we shall never cease to be amused."_

* * *

Sam wasn't usually the kind of girl who spent hours trying to decide what to where on a date. Normally she would just wear what she would wear any other day. _What's the point in dressing up and wearing something you never would if you want someone to accept you for who you are on a normal day? _She would commonly be found saying. But when Gates asked her to go out with him, Sam felt completely unlike herself. She wanted to dress up and look good, she wanted to make sure she could compete with every other woman in the room, but mostly she just wanted to feel pretty. She wanted to feel good about herself. And since she'd been working the most irregular shifts that week, Sam wasn't feeling that good. 

So after two hours of looking through everything she owned and finding something wrong with each item, Sam threw herself on her bed and groaned. _Why in the world am I acting like this?_ Sam couldn't believe herself. _It's not like I don't know Tony. We've known each other for a while. So why am I stressing about this? _Sam sat up in bed and a piece of clothing caught her eye. It was then that a light bulb went off in her head and she decided she might as well dress up, might as well wear something she never would. Go against her norm.

Sam decided upon a pair of straight-leg, pin stripe, black dress pants. She normally would wear jeans when she went out, so she wore the complete opposite. She picked out a purple blouse and left it unbuttoned just enough to show a white lacy tank top underneath. Once again, it was the complete opposite; she was wearing something that could almost be classified as preppy. She grabbed a pair of black, strappy, high heels and set them out before heading to the washroom. She did her hair in the usual manner; straighten, curl for more body, and then spend an hour trying to get the bangs to sit properly. She did her makeup normally as well, but spent more time perfecting every little curl of her lashes and making sure her eyeliner was perfect.

Sam felt like a fool in a way. She was trying to look 'normal' and yet was spending a ridiculous amount of time trying to perfect everything. She almost felt like a high school girl again, which in a way annoyed her, but was kind of what she wanted. She never got to act like a teenager, she had Alex to care for, and she kind have missed out on that. Now, since Alex was doing well in school, Sam got to be the teenager she missed out on.

…

Gates looked at his watch; 6:30pm. He told Sam he'd pick her up in an hour and he was still standing around in his apartment in his boxers trying to figure out what to wear. He didn't want to look like a fool and yet he didn't want to look like he was trying too hard.

"Tony?" came a voice from behind him as he dug through the clothes in the laundry room, "What are you looking for?"

"Clothes, Sarah," Tony answered, "I have a date tonight."

"I remember," the blonde sighed, "Who is it with?" Tony didn't go on many dates and Sarah was kind of happy that he was getting out of the house but still she felt jealous and worried that he'd leave.

"If you must know," Tony said, turning around after not finding what he was looking for, "Her name is Sam."

"That nurse from work you talk about?"

"Yes, that one"

Sarah giggled, "I knew it!" she squealed and Gates rolled his eyes at her excitement, "Do you need some help picking out your clothes?"

"No, Sarah," he groaned, "I'm perfectly capable of picking out my own clothes, thank you!"

"So, why are you standing around in your boxers then?"

Gates paused, not knowing how to respond, "Because…" he searched for something to say but Sarah cut him off.

"You should wear that green dress shirt you got!" she suggested and Gates nodded and opened his mouth to say something but Sarah continued to talk, " And those dark jeans you got for Christmas!" Sarah ran off to find the items as Gates followed her, protesting about her going through his room.

…

Gates stood in front of the mirror and sighed as Sarah smiled beside him, "You look awesome!" she squealed once more and Gates groaned. He had to admit that what she picked out looked good, but he hated the idea of having her pick out his clothes. He felt like the average Joe. Matching colours and patterns was just not his forte.

Gates looked at the clock and gasped, "I have to go!" he yelled and made a dash for the door. Sarah giggled at him as she watched his struggle to put on his shoes and run at the same time. He finally managed though and was out the door quickly; speed walking down the hallway corridor.

Gates was nervous! It was the first time in a long time that he had butterflies in his stomach over a girl. But Sam was different. She made him think. His mind would go blank. She made him nervous. He couldn't help but fall for her. She was amazing in his mind.

…

Sam sat on her sofa with a sigh and looked up at the clock. Gates was due to pick her up in ten minutes and she was restless. She wanted to pace around the room but she made herself sit still. She couldn't help it. Gates made her crazy. He was the kind of guy who would argue with her if she was wrong. He would tease her and make her angry as hell and she would think it was endearing at the same time. She hated so many little things about him but every time one of those things came up she would want to kiss him or smile. It bothered her but she couldn't do anything about it.

Sam looked back at the clock. He was due in seven minutes. She hated counting down the time but she was completely nervous. She was antsy and agitated. But beneath her anxiety, she was excited. She was nervous as hell, but she was excited to finally be able to sit down and talk to Tony, to be able to get to know him better.

It was then that the buzzer went off in her apartment and Sam jumped up in a split second and was over to the speaker. She quickly buzzed Gates in once she heard his voice and ran to find her heels. She quickly pulled one heel on when she heard the knock at her door and she hobbled over, boot in one hand, and opened the door for him.

"Hey!" Gates said with a smile and Sam grinned back at him. She then leaned over to put on her other shoe and Tony couldn't help but peer down her shirt. He tried to stifle a grunt as she put her hand on his shoulder, which only added to his thoughts. Sam didn't seem to notice and once she had her shoe on she ran to grab her coat.

"Where are we going?" she asked finally, pulling her coat on and flipping her hair over it so it didn't get tucked in.

Gates chuckled, "Not telling!" he teased and Sam groaned and then glared at Tony when he laughed at her, "I can't ruin the surprise!"

"I hate surprises," Sam mumbled and Gates chuckled again, putting his arm around her.

"You'll have to survive," he said finally, leading her out the door. Sam took in his scent and smiled. He smelt good. It was a natural smell. It wasn't some fake cologne smell but something that could actually be believable. She loved it.

So when the two entered the elevator to go downstairs, Sam pushed Gates against the wall and kissed him. He groaned into her mouth and she giggled. He moved his hands to the inside of her open coat and put them on her hips as he kissed her, rubbing her hips gently. She bit his lip gently and then pulled off of him as the elevator rang to show it had arrived at it's destination.

Gates watched as Sam exited the elevator with a wiggle of her hips and a sly grin on her face as she peered back at him, acting like nothing happened. _Oh… God… _were the only words that came to mind as he followed the brunette out of the elevator.

* * *

**Teaser**

_Sam secretly slipped off her shoe as Gates spoke and gently placed it under his pant leg, rubbing it gently with her warm, soft foot. Gates looked up at her shocked for a moment as she gently rubbed his leg and he found himself arguing with his own body and mind. His mind told him that he should get her to stop but his body told him that it wasn't going to happen._

_He looked at her wide-eyed and Sam smiled at him innocently, gently moving her foot out of his pant leg and placing it a bit farther up his calf._

_"I hate you, ya know?" Gates managed to say and Sam smiled._


	10. Something in Common

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Nine  
"Something in Common"  
_**Rated R for Sexual Content**

* * *

_"Passion... it's the atmosphere, the noise, it's the time, the taste, the smell, and the sense of being. I think it's being alive at a point where it's so joyful it can almost be painful."_

* * *

Gates and Sam's date started out well. They went to a nice little restaurant and sat away from everyone else, the request of Gates who said he wanted no distractions. And they had no distractions besides one phone call, which came from Sarah who asked if she could go to a movie and spend the night at a friend's house. Gates agreed after Sam told him that 'You only get to be young once'. To be honest, if Sam said anything to Gates right now, he would have agreed to it. She

"What are you looking at?"

"Umm… what?" Gates sputtered out, looking at Sam whose eyebrow was raised questioningly.

"You keep staring at me… what are you looking at?" she repeated, taking a tiny bite from her penne noodles.

Gates shrugged, "I'm just trying to figure you out…"

Sam raised her eyebrow again and took a sip from her wine glass before speaking, "What do you want to know?"

"Everything," he replied simply and Sam smiled at him.

"That's a lot for a first date," she said quietly as she watched him from across the table, his eyes dancing over her features. Sam felt herself shutter as he looked her over and she found herself trying to keep composed.

"What is your worst quality?" he asked her, trying to sound like a therapist and Sam chuckled.

"I have an impulse control problem," she replied, "Kerry told me so."

Gates nodded, "I have that problem too," he smiled and Sam leaned forward in her chair, staring intently at him. Her shirt fell forward a bit and Tony was greeted with an open view of her cleavage. He bit his lip for a moment and Sam smiled at him as he continued to babble on about something.

Sam secretly slipped off her shoe as Gates spoke and gently placed it under his pant leg, rubbing it gently with her warm, soft foot. Gates looked up at her shocked for a moment as she gently rubbed his leg and he found himself arguing with his own body and mind. His mind told him that he should get her to stop but his body told him that it wasn't going to happen.

He looked at her wide-eyed and Sam smiled at him innocently, gently moving her foot out of his pant leg and placing it a bit farther up his calf.

"I hate you, ya know?" Gates managed to say and Sam smiled.

"Mmhmm," she nodded and removed her foot from his leg with a smile as the waitress appeared and asked them how their meal was. Gates was about to respond when Sam put her foot on his thigh and he gulped for a moment as she began to gently caress him, "It's fine, thank you!" she said to the waitress and the woman nodded and walked away.

Sam laughed as Gates stared at her wide-eyed, "You gonna be okay?" she asked with a grin.

"No," he said with a gulp and Sam smiled, leaving her foot on his lap. She continued to eat her dinner as if nothing was happening and Gates attempted to keep himself occupied with his drink as Sam gently rubbed his thigh. She sat there angelically and sipped her wine again, allowing the liquid to sit on her lips for a moment before she slowly licked it off.

"You… really suck," Gates managed to say, as his mind was swept with thoughts of taking Sam right there in the restaurant.

"I'm excellent at first dates," she said with a smile, slowly trailing her foot down his leg before she put it back her shoe. She smiled innocently at him again as he sighed of relief.

"Yeah… excellent at taking it slow too," he replied, trying to keep himself composed as she gently sipped her drink.

"What are you talking about? I'm not doing anything," Sam replied sarcastically and smiled. Gates chuckled at her.

"You? Never. You're completely innocent," he grinned as Sam sat back in her chair.

"Totally innocent," she agreed.

The waitress appeared again and asked if they wanted to see the dessert menu. Gates looked at Sam and she smiled rubbing her foot against his leg again. Gates shook his head at the waitress who said she'd return with the bill.

…

Tony slowly pulled the car to a stop as the light in front of him changed to red. He found himself thinking the red lights were too long and the green ones not long enough. He couldn't sit in that car with her. Her scent was invading him, he could hear her breathe gently, could still feel her foot on his leg. He couldn't contain himself much longer and he tried to think of everything in the world to make himself forget about attacking Sam right then and there at the light.

But it was Sam who started the slow and steady assault on Gates, for she smiled at him sweetly and moved her hand from her own lap to his, rubbing his thigh gently, starting closer at his knee but moving farther up as the moments passed. Gates groaned deep in his throat as her hand moved farther and farther up his thigh and he kicked the car into gear as the light changed to green. She remained at the same spot on his thigh until he hit another red light and then proceeded to move farther up his thigh. Gates' breath began to get shorter as she rubbed her fingers over the zipper of his pants and began to fiddle with his belt.

"I thought we were taking it slow," Gates groaned as he tapped his foot against the gas petal, waiting impatiently for the light to change.

"Shut up," Sam replied as she undid his belt and began to fiddle with the button of his pants. Gates hit the gas petal again as the light changed, and sped down the street. He swore as he hit another red light and Sam smiled as she slid her hands in the crotch of his pants and began to gently rub him through his boxers. Gates groaned again and closed his eyes, trying to keep himself composed.

"Green light," Sam whispered gently and Gates hit the gas petal again and was relieved when he seen Sam's apartment building in his line of vision. He pulled into the back parking lot and Sam quickly undid her seatbelt and lunged at him. She groaned into his mouth and smiled as she kissed him when he returned the same vocalization. She forcefully removed his coat from his body, pushing it back over his shoulders in a single, swift motion as she continued to kiss him passionately.

Gates ran his hands from her hips, up her back and into her hair as she stripped him of his clothing. He couldn't believe what was happening and found himself wondering if it was real. He gently bit her lip and she smiled at him, moving her hands to undo the buttons of his shirt quickly. Sam pushed the invading piece of clothing off and ran her hands down his chest, over his abdomen and to his pants again. Gates groaned and found himself trying to remove her pants from her position on top of him. Sam had his undone first and raised her hips to help him undo her pants.

Gates grew frustrated of trying to get them off of her and he pushed her back into her seat and gently tugged on her clothing, trying to pull them off. Once he managed he climbed on top of her and kissed her gently again, first at the lips and then trailing down to her neck. Sam groaned, wrapping her legs around him and ran her fingers through his hair. He continued to kiss down her neck and when he hit a soft spot between her shoulder and neck, Sam moaned his name. Gates couldn't contain himself and he quickly pushed himself inside of her.

The two moved in unison, their hips hitting each other slowly and gently as they stared into each other's eyes. It was like they couldn't break the gaze. It was almost too intense for the two and they found themselves moving quicker not too long after. Sam's fingernails dug deep into Gates' shoulders and he groaned as he felt her growing tighter around him. Sam finally broke their gaze as her mind started to haze and she leaned her head in to the crook of her neck as she pulled him tighter around her with her legs. Gates smiled and kissed her shoulder gently as he heard her mumble incoherently and his mind started to go blank as Sam pulled him deeper into her. Sam was the first to go, moaning Gates' name as her nails grazed his skin. Gates was soon after and he fell in a panting mess on top of Sam.

The pair lay there for a while, not caring where they were and not having enough will to move into the apartment just yet. Sam closed her eyes slowly and Gates looked up at her a couple minutes later before he wiped her damp bangs from her forehead. Sam smiled and looked down and him and Tony moved up to kiss her gently.

"You really are good at first dates," Gates managed to say finally and Sam smiled, resting her forehead against his as he smiled down at her.

* * *

**Teaser**

_" I..I…" Sam stuttered over her words, " Are you okay with all of this? I mean we kind of went into this fast which wasn't what I had planned but…" Sam rambled on trying not to sound crazy but was slowly driving herself closer to it._


	11. Aftermath of Something New

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Ten  
"Aftermath of Something New"_

* * *

_"I went to sleep last night with a smile because I knew I'd be dreaming of you ... but I woke up this morning with a smile because you weren't a dream."_

* * *

_Gates and Sam went on a date and learned that Sam, although good at many things, fails as Impulse Control! The two shared a memorable time in the front seat of Tony's car, lovely eh?_

Sam groaned as she awoke, her hand instantly reaching for the back of her neck and rubbing it gently to try and rid herself of the cramp. She barely recalled why her neck hurt so much but the recollection was slowly coming back. It was then that she realized that her pillow had a heartbeat and she quickly looked up to see her head was rested on Tony's chest. After the memories flooded back to her she smiled up at him.

"Morning," she whispered, searching his face for a moment, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

"Good morning," he replied and Sam smiled, her brown eyes still dancing across his face. _Please say you're okay with this. That you're not going to ignore me from now on… _Gates noticed the pleading look in her eyes and kissed her forehead gently, "What's wrong?" His voice was gentle and soft. Not something you'd usually hear from him.

" I..I…" Sam stuttered over her words, " Are you okay with all of this? I mean we kind of went into this fast which wasn't what I had planned but…" Sam rambled on trying not to sound crazy but was slowly driving herself closer to it.

Tony pulled her up closer to him and smiled, "Shut up," he mocked her words last night before he kissed her lips gently. Sam smiled as he did so as her cheeks blushed lightly.

When they broke away, Gates leaned back into the pillow and Sam remained staring at him. She hadn't planned on what happened happening but she was glad it did. Most of the memories were slowly coming back to her, playing in her head like an old movie, and Sam wasn't about to complain about anything they did. Gates was gentle with her. He made her feel beautiful and wanted which wasn't something she had felt in a long time. And the fact that he was still here in the morning, unlike some of the other men she'd been with, made Sam all the more delighted.

"How are you feeling?" Gates asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Sore," Sam replied gently and Gates chuckled at her response.

"Well, we had sex in the _front_ seat of a car…" he smiled, "And on your table… and the couch… and…" he began to ramble on and Sam laughed.

"I'm not about to complain about what happened but…" she began with a smile, "I think we should take our time the next time instead of trying to do it in every area of the apartment all in one night."

Gates chuckled and nodded, "There is always my apartment…" he grinned, "We can take our time there."

"Now, I don't know about you but I definitely need a little break before we hit your apartment," she smiled and Gates grinned.

"What? You can't go that long? Someone needs to work on stamina," he teased and Sam raised an eyebrow at him.

"Are you challenging me?" she replied, a grin spread across her face, and Gates chuckled. Sam's eyes sparkled and she rose from her position so she straddled Tony's hips. She leaned forward so she could look into his eyes and smiled, "I love a challenge!" Gates grinned as Sam bent forward to kiss him, his hands going directly to her hips.

…

Gates awoke with a groan as his eyes adjusted to the light which was coming through Sam's bedroom window. He turned over to look at Sam but he was greeted by an empty space in the bed. Tony shot up out of bed, looking around to see where she went but was calmed when he heard the whistle of a kettle coming from outside the bedroom. Tony grabbed the sheet on Sam's bed and wrapped it around his waist before he walked out of the bedroom. He looked around the living area and noticed their clothes were strewed around the room. He smiled at the memories of removing those little nuisances from each other's body. He grabbed his boxers from the floor and pulled them on. It was then he noticed Sam standing in the kitchen, an oversized t-shirt covering her small frame, boiling a kettle of water, two coffee mugs sitting on the counter top. He smiled, admiring her for a moment, _God she's beautiful _he thought, before he walked over to her and kissed her neck gently.

"Hey," she whispered with a smile, pouring the hot water into the mugs, "What are you doing up?"

"Noticed you weren't in bed anymore," Tony replied, "Scared me there for a moment." Tony fixed his coffee the way he liked it and took a sip as Sam continued to fiddle with everything. "What's wrong?" he asked, watching her intently.

"Are we moving too fast?" she asked, turning around, "I know I sound like I'm doubting everything we do but… it just seems like we're moving really fast in a short amount of time…"

"I told you before, Sam, and I meant it," Gates replied, placing the mug of coffee on the counter, "If you want to go slower, we can. I'm not pushing you into this."

"I'm not really worried about me," Sam smiled, "I am used to going fast. But… I just don't want it to be too fast for you… I mean… Since we slept together so early… I'm just worried you'll get bored and leave…"

Gates was taken aback by her statement. He hadn't seen this side of Sam before. This scared, vulnerable Sam that constantly worried if she was doing everything right. He would never have expected her to act this way and it scared him in a way. _Who made her like this? _He wondered but didn't bring it up in fear of scaring her away. Gates pulled Sam into his chest and kissed her forehead, "I'm not going to… and if you want to slow down, we can… I enjoy being with you, Sam, but if you want to wait a bit, we can."

Sam almost melted in his arms. She felt safe with him, like he wasn't going to hurt her. And although Sam wasn't sure about 'love' just yet, she knew that he was someone she could love in the future. For now though, Sam just wanted to go with the flow and let whatever happened, happen. She didn't want to stress about their relationship, she just wanted to enjoy it. And although she still felt like they were going too fast for their own good, she enjoyed it. He was completely different then what Sam expected though. She expected him to be this 'player', the typical 'I don't care' kind of guy. But Gates was the complete opposite. He was completely different then what she expected. He worried about her, he didn't push her; he was almost gentle. It was strange but Sam was growing to enjoy it more and more as he softly ran his fingers through her hair and she delved into thoughts of him.

"You know, you're not what I expected," Sam said finally, looking up at him with a smirk, " When did you turn into this sweet talking guy?"

"Sam, I'm not a jerk," Gates replied in a more serious tone, "I know how to treat a woman and that's with respect. I may not seem like it at work, but I'm not that bad of a guy." Sam smiled up at him and kissed his lips tenderly before Tony continued to speak, " But I do have to get home. I need to make sure Sarah did her homework last night like she said she did."

Sam grinned at his comment and nodded as he wandered off to find his clothes. She watched him for a moment before continuing to think. Gates was extremely good with Sarah, Sam had known that, but she hadn't noticed how 'fatherly' he had become in such a short amount of time. He used to be like the 'Big Brother' but he quickly had changed into this father figure. Not many people had noticed this at work and Sam was happy she was the one of few who got to see this entirely different side of Gates. The one everyone else was missing. She was sure if other people had seen it, he would have been long taken now and it made her happy in a way that he kept it hidden from everyone.

Gates found his clothes after a few moments and quickly got dressed, "When do you work next?" he asked as he pulled his coat on.

"Tonight," Sam replied, "You?"

"I'm in this afternoon."

"I'll see you later then?" Sam asked and Tony nodded before walking over and giving Sam another kiss.

"You betcha!" Gates smiled before letting himself out. Sam looked around her apartment after he left, daydreaming about the memories from last night before she began to clean up.

* * *

"_My date with Sam," Gates replied sitting down next to her, "Was fine."_

"_What did you do?"_

" _We had dinner and then… she went home," Gates replied, hoping his lie would work._


	12. Dreaming of You

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Eleven  
'Dreaming Of You'_

* * *

_"Guys always seem to wonder what it takes to get a girl. Like, what do they have to do to make a girl notice them? Guys have to realize that they have to be sweet, caring, gentle, honest and still have that sweet little thing about them that drives any girl crazy: and that's reaching her heart."_

* * *

Gates got into his car moments later and looked at the seat beside him. Memories of Sam rushed to him and he grinned as the smell of her perfume still lingered in the air. He smiled and turned the car on, kicking it into gear, and pulling out of the parking lot.

Sam wasn't what he expected. He would think she was one thing and something else would totally contradict his theory. Sam at first appeared to be this confident, self-assured woman. But Gates had noticed this morning that Sam wasn't really like that. She doubted herself a lot, more then what he'd ever want. He couldn't believe she would think he'd leave her after sleeping with her. She was an amazing person and any guy that got in bed with her and then left should have been punched in the face for hurting her like that. But Sam wasn't really inhibited either. Especially in bed! _Or table… or couch… or wall… _Tony's mind added. She had no problem taking control in bed and she knew what she was doing! _If I wasn't dreaming about her now, I will be later! _Gates groaned to himself as his mind flashed with images of Sam kissing her way down his stomach.

…

Gates walked into his apartment and was greeted by Sarah sitting on the couch, eating cereal, "What are you doing home?" he asked, taking his coat off.

"Kelly had to go to some dance practice so I came home an hour ago," Sarah replied, shrugging it off like it didn't matter.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I assumed you were busy," and before Tony could respond, Sarah flicked off the TV, "How was your date with the nurse?"

"My date with _Sam_," Gates replied sitting down next to her, "Was fine."

"What did you do?"

" We had dinner and then… she went home," Gates replied, hoping his lie would work. Sarah seemed to buy it and continued to flick through the television stations. Gates took this as his chance to get away and quickly made his way to her bedroom where he retrieved his clothing for work. He then went to the bathroom in order to do the wonderful task of waking himself from his own need for sleep.

…

Sam groaned as Gates shoved her against the wall, his mouth on hers within seconds of the impact. Sam ignored the fact that she would probably now have a bruise on her shoulder and continued to enjoy the feeling of Tony's hands on her. It had been almost a week since their first date and Sam was having a hard time suppressing her feelings of lust. Not that she was ever good at such a task…

Gates continued to kiss her passionately, finding himself wanting her more and more as her hands clung to the hair on his head with more force each and every shift. The two had been working long hours this week and hadn't had time to see each other since the week prior. Their only way of releasing this pent up desire was to use the couple minutes they could in the supplies closet (or wherever was free) to get their hands on one another.

Sam pulled away for a moment, panting, her legs wrapped around Tony's back, her fingers still tangled in his hair. "We have to stop…" she panted, knowing full well it was easier said then done. Gates groaned his protest and Sam smiled, "Tomorrow… We're both free…" Sam was about to suggest getting together but didn't need to. Gates kissed her again and Sam smiled.

"Your place, or mine?" Gates mumbled into her mouth and Sam groaned as his hands rubbed up her abdomen and over her breasts before they travelled over her shoulders and up to her chin.

"Sarah's home," Sam grinned as Gates' hands cupped her face gently as they continued to kiss each other between words.

"She's spending this weekend with her grandparents," Gates replied and Sam pulled away and looked at him, "It's fine, she wanted to," Gates clarified and Sam nodded, "Anyway, it's good for her to get away once in awhile. It's only a couple days and she wanted to go horseback riding."

Sam smiled before slowly removing herself from her tight hold on Gates. She pulled out a compact mirror out of her pocket and began to fix herself up, trying not to look at unravelled as she was. She smiled, happy with what she got, and then proceeded to fix Tony's hair, standing on her tip toes as she did so, "And you're alright with her going over there?"

"Why wouldn't I be? They are her grandparents. It's good for her to see them," he replied and Sam smiled and nodded, giving him one final kiss before she exited the closet, leaving Gates standing there with a grin.

"Sam!" Pratt's voice bellowed as he seen Sam walking down the hallway, "Where have you been?"

"I had something I needed to do," the brunette replied, "Why, what's up?"

"Trauma rolling in in five, get the traumas cleaned up!" He shouted, walking past her in a huff. Sam nodded and headed towards Trauma Two, but not before she shot Gates a smile as he exciting the closet doors.

* * *

**Teaser**

"_Resuscitate me, doc!"_


	13. Resuscitate me, doc!

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Twelve  
"Resuscitate Me, Doc"  
_**Rated R for Sexual Content**

* * *

_"Nothing is more beautiful than you wearing only the moonlight and my kisses."_

* * *

Gates sat in his apartment, yawning from boredom as he waited for Sam to arrive. He'd gotten off an hour ago and Sam had been called in and was supposed to get off soon after he did. He wanted to stay and wait for her but she insisted that everyone would notice and that she wanted him 'all to herself for a little while longer'. Not that he would complain. Sam could have him any day, but he understood where she was coming from and came home.

Sarah was supposed to be back Tuesday afternoon. He agreed to let her miss the day of school as long as he seen that she had finished her homework before she left, Tuesday's included. He wasn't fond of her missing school but he also liked the idea of her seeing her Grandparents on a regular bases. It was good for her. So he allowed it.

Gates looked up at his washroom door, thinking he should probably shower. He hadn't changed when he got home; he was too tired to even move to the washroom to clean. He looked down at his scrubs and sighed, knowing he should shower before Sam arrived and he tiredly got off the couch with a groan. It was then that his phone rang and Gates sighed, answering it.

"Hey sexy," came a voice on the other line and Gates smiled at the sound of her voice, "Wanna let me in?"

"Mmmhmm," Gates replied, cursing that he hadn't got a shower earlier and he buzzed her up.

"See you in a minute,"

Not even two minutes later, Sam knocked on the door and Gates let her in, noting she was in her nursing scrubs as well. Sam gently pulled at his top and Gates grinned as the brunette pouted seductively as she removed her nursing shoes, "What are your plans?" she asked, her voice low and husky.

"I don't know," Gates replied, pulling her coat off her shoulders, "What do you want to do, nursey?"

Sam grinned at his teasing. She couldn't wait to see him, so she hadn't went home to change. She assumed clothing was optional at his house, "Resuscitate me, doc," the brunette replied, pulling on the collar of his shirt so she could kiss him. Gates groaned into her mouth, one of his hands holding onto the back of her head, the other pulling her off of the ground. Sam wrapped her legs around his back, hooking her ankles together to hold herself there and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Gates' tongue gently ran across the rim of Sam's teeth before going onto the slow exploration of her mouth. The kiss was filled with passion and possession but was tender. Sam duelled for dominance over him and Gates slowly moved to the washroom.

"Let's get you clean," Gates mumbled into her mouth.

Sam grinned as he attempted to turn on the shower while holding onto her and she broke away from the kiss, leaning backwards and gently twisting the knob for the shower to turn on. Gates groaned as she slowly arched her back and moved up to look at him, before he pushed her against the door, kissing her again.

Gates' hands roamed down Sam's body before stopping at the hem of her shirt. He slowly pulled it off of her, moving away from kissing her just long enough to get the stubborn piece of clothing out of his way. He then moved his hands over her stomach and up to her breasts where he fondled them gently. Sam groaned into his mouth as he ran his hands behind her back and carefully undid the clasp of her bra before moving his hands up her back and gently pushing the straps off her shoulders.

Once removed, Sam broke away from kissing Gates and, equally as slow, removed Tony's shirt. Her hands instantly running over his chest, his shoulders and then down his arms with a grin.

Tony gently trailed his fingers down Sam's body, leaving goose bumps wherever he went, and then proceeded to fiddle with the drawstring of her pants. Sam groaned as he gently removed her piece of clothing, his index fingers hooked on the hem of her pants and gently pulling it down her legs.

Sam released her grip on Tony so he could pull the clothing off and then continued to quickly remove his pants and boxers in one swift, gentle motion. Gates groaned as she trailed her fingers back up the inside of his legs and over his arousal and she blew cold air on him gently before running her fingers over his stomach, chest, shoulders, and then ending at his chin, kissing him again.

Gates groaned and kissed down her neck, Sam leaning against the door as his tongue rubbed against the pulse point on her neck. Gates continued his slow and steady exploration of her body. Once reaching her breasts, he rolled his tongue gently over her left nipple before kissing it gently. Sam's breath caught in her throat as he continued to play with her before he moved to her other breast, showing it equal attention. He then kissed his way downward, his fingers slowly removing her panties. Sam groaned as he kissed the inside of her thighs, making her legs buckle, as he neared her core. Sam's hand shot up and roughly ran through her hair, "Please," she begged as his hands gently rubbed her crotch as he kissed his way back up her body.

Gates smiled and carefully picked her up, his hand still on her, gently massaging her, as he moved to the inside of the shower. Sam gasped as the water hit her but then rested her head on Tony's shoulder as he kissed her neck. The brunette smiled and kissed his lips gently as they let the water pour over them. Sam groaned and kissed his harder, her hips buckling closer to him as he gently rubbed her, his fingers gently rubbing her outer lips. Sam grinned as she continued to kiss him, trying to keep herself sane as his hands worked her. His hands were amazing… he was amazing. Tony made her feel beautiful, wanted, and completely aroused. She couldn't help but want to be with him. It was the first time in a long time that Sam felt the need for someone. Sure, everyone got horny once in a while. But Sam found herself wanting Gates every time she seen him or even thought of him. Not just want, but also need. When she seen him at work, she would feel herself grow warmer and she had to keep reminding herself that the public would not like to see her jump his bones in the workplace.

Tony removed his hand from her and carefully unwrapped her legs from around him, placing her standing in the shower. It took a moment for Sam to be able to stand without support, but once she was able to, Gates grabbed a bar of soap and lathered his hands up before rubbing Sam's body down. He started with her shoulders and then slowly moved down her arms, then her chest. Sam stood there with a smile as he washed her, his gentle hands working her skin and tired muscles. She couldn't help but groan as he moved, placing kisses on her skin as he went. After a couple moments of enjoying him, Sam finally spoke, "My turn," her voice was rough and Gates noted the affect he was having on her.

She grinned and grabbed the soap, and once her hands were lathered, she turned Gates around and began to rub down his back, her hands working the knotted muscles in his shoulders and the base of his neck. Gates groaned as she went, her hands gentle and firm all at the same time. It wasn't long before she was moving her hands down his biceps and rubbing them as well. Tony smiled as she gently turned him around and grabbed the soap again. Sam then began to rub his chest down and he watched her intently as she inspected his every curve. Sam smiled up at him after a moment and kissed his chest gently. Gates chuckled and Sam continued to move her hands down his body before she rubbed down his legs. Gates groaned and Sam grinned as she was face to face with his arousal.

Sam rinsed off her hands and then gently touched him. Tony's breathe caught in his throat as her fingers ran over top of his shaft and then all over. She was almost too gentle and her featherlike touch was driving him insane. He groaned and looked up at the ceiling, the sight of her that close to him was too much right now. Sam smiled at the affect she was having on him, a surge of power going through her, and she gently licked the tip of him. Gates groaned again as the warmth of her mouth covered him. He continued to look at the ceiling, not daring to look down at Sam as he felt her mouth wrap around him and her hands tease him. He groaned as she continued to move her tongue over him, his eyes rolling into the back of his head. _Don't look down, Tony. Don't even try to look at that little brunette down there… you know better… She should be getting this affection, not you. Ladies first!_

Gates almost had control of himself; he was about to tell Sam to stop but her low voice rang through his head with the worlds, 'Look at me,' and Gates did so. He looked down and moaned at the sight. His hands instantly grabbed Sam off of him and she gasped as his mouth clashed into hers. She wasn't sure what was going on but she didn't protest. Instead, she merely groaned as Gates pressed her against the shower wall as he fiddled to turn the shower off. Once he had, he carried Sam out of the shower, his mouth still on hers, and grabbed a towel from off the hook on the wall. Tony pulled away from the kiss and looked up at Sam, her lips swollen, her cheeks pink, her chest moving up and down as she tried to catch her breath. He grinned and dried her body off as they stared at each other.

Sam opened her mouth to ask what was wrong but Gates shushed her and carried her to his bedroom. Once arriving, he gently laid her on the bed and then stood watching her sprawled on his blanket, her body just waiting for him. He grinned and crawled on top of her, kissing her lips again. Sam smiled and then watched as he travelled down her body and stopped at her abdomen. Sam groaned as he moved down to her core in a… painfully slow manner. "God…" was all she said as he kissed her thighs softly before gently pushing his tongue around her. Sam whimpered softly and Gates grinned as he continued his gentle and slow assault on her. Sam's hand ran through her hair as Gates pushed a finger into her a couple minutes later, followed by another, before he gently rubbed the inside of her, his mouth placing gentle kisses on her. Sam moaned again, feeling her orgasm in the pit of her stomach, and all it took was a soft blow of cold air from Tony onto her to send Sam over the edge, moaning his name.

It took Sam a moment to regain composure and Gates smiled at her gently as he crawled back up to her face. The brunette grinned at him as he went to his bedside table and grabbed a condom. Gates was about to open it when Sam gently took it from his hands and opened the wrapper, she then proceeded to put it on him and he moaned as her fingers gently tickled him before he entered her.

Gates stared deep into her eyes and Sam, not used to the show of intimacy, crossed her eyes making Tony chuckle and kiss her lips gently. She proceeded to move her hips in rhythm with his thrusts, her nails grazing his biceps as he pushed into her. Gates smiled as the moments passed, Sam's face pushed into his shoulder as she mumbled his name. He placed gently kisses on her neck and Sam groaned, nipping at his shoulder gently as waves of pleasure coursed through her.

As the minutes passed, the room was filled with more frequent sounds of contentment and it wasn't long after that the two fell into a heaping mess on the bed. Tony kissed Sam's neck gently, placing little pecks onto her skin as the two tried to regain composure. Sam smiled and looked up at him, her cheeks flushed, her skin coated with sweat, and her hair askew. To most people, it would not have been their finest moment, but Gates kissed her nose gently, "You're beautiful," he whispered quietly.

* * *

**Teaser**

_Sam blushed and then leaned forward to kiss Tony's neck as he continued cooking, "Thank you," she whispered and Gates smiled, " It means a lot to me."_


	14. Amazing

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
_Chapter Thirteen  
"Amazing"_

* * *

_"If I could give you one thing I would wish for you, the ability to see yourself as others see you, then you would realize what a truly special person you are!"_

* * *

Gates awoke to find Sam curled against him, her head rested against his chest, her body pressed against him. Her legs were between his, his one leg draped casually across her, his one arm supporting her head. He looked down at her and smiled as her breath tickled his chest. He gently played with her hair with his free hand and smiled as she stirred from her slumber. She went to stretch for a moment before noticing her sleeping partner and looked up at him, shocked for a moment, before smiling.

"Morning," she said quietly and Gates smiled, kissing her head.

"Morning," he replied into her hair. Sam giggled and looked up at him, kissing his lips gently, "How are you feeling?" he asked as she looked up at him.

"Sore… not as bad as last week, but still sore," she replied with a smirk and Tony kissed her nose gently, "You?"

" I'm not complaining… I have you in my bed, right?" he grinned and Sam laughed.

"What's so good about that?"

"Have you looked at yourself?" Gates replied, raising a brow, "You're probably the hottest one we have at County, I have bragging rights now!" he teased and Sam rolled her eyes.

"Well, don't I feel like a piece of meat," she mumbled, pretending to be insulted.

Gates chuckled, "Don't worry, I don't kiss and tell," he replied pulling Sam closer to him and kissing her lips softly.

Sam smiled as they parted, licking her lips before speaking, "I'm glad to see you're a morning person."

"Only when I get laid," Gates replied and Sam rolled her eyes with a smile before she rested her head against his chest again and kissed it gently.

"When does Sarah get home?" she asked quietly, her eyes still closed.

Gates shrugged, "She's supposed to be home tomorrow sometime," he replied into her hair, taking in the smell. Although it had faded some, she still smelt like coconut and vanilla. _A combination of heaven! _His mind noted.

"So what do you have planned until then?" Sam asked, moving closer to him.

"Food." He replied simply and Sam chuckled as he rose out of bed and headed for the kitchen.

Sam followed him out into the kitchen and leaned against the doorframe with a smile, a blanket wrapped around her for warmth.

"You hungry?" he asked as he searched his cupboards. Sam replied with an 'Mmmhmm' but didn't move. Gates turned and looked at her, "What would you like?"

"You." The brunette grinned and Gates chuckled.

"I need fuel before we go on like this,"

"So now YOU need to work on stamina," Sam smirked, recalling back to when he was at her apartment and teased her for not wanting 'another go', and Gates chuckled.

"I'll show you stamina," he replied as he walked towards her, picking the laughing brunette up and carrying her back to the bed.

…

"So you enjoy riding me dead?" Tony asked as he looked over at the brunette lying beside him.

Sam shrugged, "I should have warned you, huh?" she smirked, "I'm big on sex. In fact, I'd say it's a necessity for my survival in life."

Gates chuckled, "So that's why you're dating me? So you can have your fill?" he asked, smiling at her. He loved feeling like he was just there for her pleasure. In fact, the idea turned him on.

Sam nodded, "Yeah," she replied simply and Gates kissed her, "Why? You have a problem with that? I'm not allowed to use you?"

Gates chuckled, "You can use me anytime! I'm at your disposal," he grinned and Sam kissed his nose.

"Good," she said as she looked up at him, "But now I'm hungry. What are you making me?"

"OH! So _now_ you want to eat? Not when I wanted to!" Gates laughed and tickled her waist gently.

Sam laughed, "I told you, I'm just using you," she grinned, " You're just here for my pleasure, get used to it!"

Gates sighed dramatically and got out of bed, pulling on a pair of boxers. "You're lucky you're cute," he mumbled as he made his way towards the kitchen and Sam laughed, propping herself up on her arms to survey the room for clothing she could wear. Spotting a long sleeved, dress shirt on the floor she rose out of bed and grabbed it, pulling it on and buttoning it up as she walked over to the kitchen.

Tony turned around and looked at her with a smile, "Wearing my clothes, are we?"

Sam smiled, "I'm too lazy to get mine," Sam replied and Gates smiled at her.

"You look good," he grinned, kissing her gently, his hands going to her hips and rubbing them suggestively.

"Ah!" Sam grinned swatting his hands away, "Not 'til you feed me." She replied and Tony chuckled and looked back towards the cupboards.

"I have pancakes?" he suggested and Sam nodded with a smile as he looked at her.

"I haven't had pancakes in years," she added and Gates grinned as he pulled out the ingredients and the necessities from inside the cupboards.

"My mom used to make them for me when I was younger," Gates replied, thinking back as he mixed the ingredients, " Every Sunday morning we had pancakes."

Sam smiled, "Can't say I was that lucky," she replied, leaning against the kitchen counter, watching him, " I made them for Alex when he was younger but… he hasn't really asked for them the last couple years."

"Kids get like that, they get themselves into little ruts," Gates smiled as he turned on the stove, " I remember Sarah used to never wear anything girly because she felt she'd be 'conforming'. She used to give me this lecture on how if she wore a frilly skirt she'd get 'knocked up'."

Sam laughed, "It takes stupidity to get pregnant when you're that young, it has nothing to do with what you wear," she smiled.

Gates sighed, "You got pregnant when you were a teenager," he said as he poured the pancake mixture onto the frying pan, " And you're not dumb so I don't think it has anything to do with your intelligence."

"I was reckless," Sam sighed, " I thought he loved me. In a way I think I needed someone to love me so I dropped all brains and dated him. I wouldn't change it for the world though. It gave me Alex."

Gates smiled and leaned over, kissing Sam on the head gently, "You're a good mom, you know that?"

"Some days I doubt myself. Other days I think I'm a good big sister," she smiled as Gates moved back to flipping the pancake, "But I'm never going to be super mom."

Gates flipped the cooked pancake onto a plate and continued on to the next one, "You got pregnant, you raised a child as a teenager, you got a job that you're amazing at, all the while trying to keep tabs on a teenage boy. I think Alex is lucky to have a mother like you. You're a good role model for him,"

Sam blushed and then leaned forward to kiss Tony's neck as he continued cooking, "Thank you," she whispered and Gates smiled, " It means a lot to me."

"It's the truth," he smiled, " You're an amazing woman, Sam, you just need to see it."

* * *

**Teaser:**

"I guess you'll have to teach me,"


	15. You're Her One and Only

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
Chapter Fourteen  
"You're Her One and Only"

* * *

_"Where your pleasure is, there is your treasure: where your treasure is, there is your heart; where your heart is, there is your happiness."_

* * *

Sam smiled as Tony set the two plates of pancakes down on the table along with the syrup and butter, and sat down, motioning for her to join him. The brunette complied without hesitation, joining him at the small table and began to dress the meal in front of her as she liked it. Gates did the same and grinned when Sam put a piece of the pancake in her mouth.

"You're a really good cook," Sam said after she swallowed, "I'll have to keep you around."

Tony smirked, "It doesn't take much talent to make pancakes," he replied and Sam shook her head as she swallowed another bite.

"I can't make them unless they are from one of those 'just add milk' kind of things," she chuckled, "I'm not very good with the whole cooking scenario."

"Well," Gates grinned, "I guess you will have to keep me around."

"I guess I will," Sam smirked as she watched him take another bite, "What are you keeping me around for?"

Gates chuckled at her question, "So I can do again what we did last night," he teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

Sam laughed, "I see, I see," she replied, "At least we have one thing in common then."

"Yup," Gates grinned, "I'll cook and you'll make fun of me. A match made in heaven!" he joked and Sam shrugged.

"At least the sex is good," she replied and Gates chuckled, her comment astonishing him.

"Oh! So you're admitting I'm good in bed?"

"You're okay," Sam shrugged with a smirk and Gates laughed.

"Well, I guess you'll have to teach me," he grinned and Sam laughed.

"That can be arranged," she replied, "But if you get better then I can only imagine the problems we're going to have."

"Like… never getting out of bed?" Gates grinned and Sam smiled, nodding.

"Yeah, as much as I'd enjoy it, I don't see that working out very well,"

"Why not?" Gates chuckled, pretending to be shocked and Sam laughed.

"I don't think Sarah would appreciate that," Sam explained and Gates nodded.

"Yeah," he agreed, "She seems fine with me dating but I'm not sure we should put it in her face just yet."

Sam nodded, " You're her one and only, Tony. She looks up to you. She's going to be jealous of the women you date, that's just how it goes,"

"The women I date?" Gates asked, "I'm only seeing you."

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she replied with a smile, trying to change the subject. Sam didn't want to jump into anything just yet and was happy where they were now.

Tony nodded, "I'm just saying, I'm not seeing anyone besides you," he replied and Sam smiled.

"So… how was work?" Sam asked, looking away.

Gates laughed, "Trying to change the subject?"

"Maybe," Sam grinned with a blush, "Is that a problem?"

Gates smiled, "You're a lot different in private then you are in public, ya know that?"

Sam laughed, "Yeah, I usually tend to wear more clothing at work," she replied and Tony chuckled.

"No. You're a lot more… reluctant? Apprehensive?" he explain, trying to think of the word, "You don't seem as sure of yourself."

Sam grinned, "Well, I thought I wouldn't give you as much trouble at home," she replied, trying to seem like she wasn't fazed by the comment, "Thought I'd save the teasing for work when I still have to act normal!"

"I see," Tony laughed, "So, we're still hiding this from everyone?"

"I wouldn't call it hiding…" Sam grinned, "I'd say it was more…. Concealing the truth?"

Gates chuckled, " So you really just don't want people to know about us, huh?"

"Not yet," Sam smiled, "It just started and… I'll really look like the E.R. slut after this."

"You're far from a slut, Sam," Gates smiled, "But we wont tell them, just in case."

Sam laughed, "Thanks," she smirked and Gates chuckled as she rolled her eyes at him.

"Ya know, you don't look that good either," Sam laughed and Gates looked at her, puzzled, "Everyone knows about you and Ray and _Neela_." Gates nodded, trying to play along like it meant nothing but he could see it in Sam's eyes that she wasn't okay with it. The way she said Neela's name showed her jealousy over the woman.

* * *

_"Call her,"_


	16. Call Her

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
Chapter Fifteen  
"Call Her"

* * *

_"If I could have one lifetime wish, one wish that would come true, I'd pray to God with all my heart, for yesterday...and you!"_

* * *

Gates was the first to break. He was the first to say he wanted more. But when he did, it was too late. Sam assumed differently and quickly fled from the relationship. It took Gates almost a month to realise what he needed to do. And when he did, he also realized the difficulty of the situation. 

The car ride was long and Tony found himself doubting what he was doing. Doubting the choices he made. But he knew one thing. It hit him like a ton of bricks and it hurt like hell when he figured it all out. He was falling in love with Sam. He fell farther and farther into the madness the more he seen her. And it took seeing her with someone else to make him realize it. It took seeing her leave the E.R. in the hands of another man to make him realize how far he'd actually fallen. And how much he needed to prove it to her. Sam had been hurt. She needed reassurance in this relationship more then he'd ever know. He understood it would be hard. But Gates would think back to her face in the restaurant on their first date or to her wearing his shirt as she helped him clean his apartment and he would know that even if he had to work hard, it would be worth it to know that she trusted him. That she would doubt herself just a little less in the crazy relationship that they'd begun.

Gates hadn't felt like that for someone before and, in a way, it scared him. It scared him to realize that he could want someone so badly that he'd do the crazy just to be closer to them. Just to see them smile. Just to see them be happy, even if you had to watch from afar. And he knew Sam wasn't happy. He could see it on her face. Her eyes didn't twinkle and she didn't make sarcastic comments about things that were happening. He needed to see that.

Gates pulled up to the parking lot and parked his car. He sighed and looked at his steering wheel. He doubting coming here and even thought about turning the car around and forgetting the whole thing. But when he looked over out the passenger side window, preparing to back out, his eyes drifted towards the seat and his mind was filled with visions of Sam and himself that night not too long ago. Gates turned off the car and got out. He had to do this! He made his way over to the brick building and entered the glass doors, his mind screaming for himself to turn around. But he continued on, into the lobby and down the endless hallway until he reached the admit desk.

He found himself asking to see the man he'd never thought he'd want to see and was directed down the hall to him room.

"What the hell are you doing here?" was the only greeting he got and Gates accepted it as the best he was going o get.

"I need you to call her, Ray," Gates replied quietly to Barnett and Ray looked at him questioningly.

"Call who?"

"Neela," he answered, " Call her and tell her that you'll fight for her. Because I'm not going to stand it your way."

Ray rolled his eyes, "I'm over Neela. I was over her a long time ago."

"You're not over her,"

"Don't you tell me how I feel!" Ray yelled, sitting up in his bed, " You have no idea!"

Gates crossed his arms over his chest, "I can tell you're not over her. You're never going to be," he replied, not moving away from the furious young man in front of him, " And she's never going to be over you. Call her."

"Why? Are you done with her? Are you done using her and now you want her to move along so you can find someone else?"

Gates shook his head, " I was never really with Neela. Neela was never with me. She wanted you. She may not have known it. But she was."

Ray sighed, "So you came all this way to tell me to call her?" Gates nodded and Ray paused for a moment before replying, "Why do you care?"

Tony shrugged again, "We're not friends, Ray. Never have been and probably never will be," he replied, "But I care about Neela enough to know that she blames herself for what happened. And you need to tell her it's not."

"What? Is this some program you joined where you're trying to fix all the mistakes you made?"

"In a way."

"Well, you're not fixing this one! Cross it off the list as 'Not going to happen'!" Ray yelled, "Now leave!"

Gates stood for a moment longer before turning and leaving the room. He leaned against the wall outside the hospital room door and sighed, his hand running through his hair feeling defeated. He hardly knew the man in the other room and he hadn't realized how immature and stubborn Ray was before this. This was going to take longer then expected.

* * *

_Ray sighed, "Why is she?"_

"_Who?" Gates asked, shocked by the sudden change of topic._

"_You didn't come here out of the goodness of your heart," Ray replied, "So who is she?"_

_Tony paused, "… Sam."_


	17. Enough Said

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
Chapter Sixteen  
"Enough Said"

* * *

_"It is said that, 'You can't change the world but you can always change yourself.' So, if you and I start to change then we have already begun changing the world."_

* * *

"Good morning, sunshine!" 

Ray was awoken by the morning light shining in his face as Gates ripped opened the curtains. He groaned, his arm moving in front of his face, trying to block the light. "What the hell are you doing here?" Ray asked, his voice harsh and low.

" Waking you up!" Gates replied, in a mock cheerful voice, "It's a beautiful day! Why sleep through the entire thing?"

"Because I'm stuck in a hospital room," Ray snapped, " I thought I told you to leave?"

Gates smiled, "That was yesterday. Today is a brand new day,"

Ray groaned and sat up in bed, ignoring Tony as the man sat down in a chair beside him.

"So, why are you still here?" Gates asked, looking around the room, "I thought you would've been out of the hospital by now."

Ray shrugged, " New research came in. If I want to get back to work sometime soon, I might as well take advantage of it," he replied, "Why do you care?"

"Just wondering," Tony shrugged, "You coming back to Chicago after?"

" Probably not,"

"Why not?"

Ray turned to look at him, "Why do you care?" he yelled, " You couldn't have cared less before!"

Gates sat up in the chair, "Because I have friends who care about you!" he replied, " And even if I couldn't care less about you otherwise, I care about them!"

"You're talking about Neela again?" Ray asked, although it was more a statement then a question, "Why do you care about her?"

"She's my friend," he explained, " She misses you, Ray. She blames herself for all of this. Can't you just call her?"

"Why? So she can leave me again for an asshole like you?"

Gates rolled his eyes, "You and Neela were never together. If you wanted her, you should have told her from the beginning!" Gates sighed, knowing his advice went towards himself just as much as Ray.

Ray paused for a moment, " Who is she?"

"Who?" Gates asked, shocked by the sudden change of topic.

"You didn't come here out of the goodness of your heart," Ray replied, "You're not like that. Even if you are friends were Neela, you'd rather her not be with me. Who is she? Who is this all about?"

Tony paused, "… Sam."

Ray looked at him, "Sam? Taggart?" he asked and Tony nodded. Ray burst out into laughter, "Sam hated you!"

Gates shrugged, "We've changed…mostly,"

Ray tried to stop laughing but the idea of the pair together was hilarious, "So Sam wanted you to come here?"

"Not really, no,"

"Then why the hell are you here?" Ray asked, still amused.

"Neela and I were talking. A patient came in who reminded her of you. She was upset afterwards and we went out to talk about it," Gates explained, Ray staring at him intently, "Sam saw us together and assumed I was cheating. I tried to explain to her that that wasn't the case and once I said your name she freaked out. Said that you and Neela would be together if I wasn't such an ass. She left."

Ray shrugged, "So you decided that coming down here would get Sam to come back to you?" he asked, with an amused look on his face.

"No," Gates replied, "But I decided she was right and I had to fix it. What's wrong with that?"

"You really want me to call her that bad?" Ray asked and Tony nodded, "You're in an idiot!" Ray said under his breath and Tony looked up at him confused, "Neela and I will never get back together. She's moved on! She just feels bad!"

Gates shook his head and was about to explain but Ray cut him off, "I'm not calling that woman! Get that through your head and get out!" he yelled, pointing at the door.

Tony jumped out of the chair, "You're a selfish idiot, you know that?" he yelled, "Neela isn't over you. She should be because you're an ass, but she isn't! Now stop acting like a fucking child and get over yourself!"

Ray looked up at him, a little astonished by the burst, and glared, "You know nothing about me so don't even start!"

"I know enough about you to realize that you're an asshole! You don't even get it, do you? Neela isn't over you. And I thought that I, of all people, coming here would help you realize this so maybe you can make amends with Neela. For her sake, not yours, but I can see that you haven't changed at all!" Gates glared at him and headed for the door, no longer caring about trying to be nice to Ray.

Ray watched for a moment and sighed, "You're right," he said quietly and Gates turned around to look at him, astonished, "I should have called her. But I can't let her see me like this. She seen me before and… she was scared. And I was an asshole. She's not going to forgive that."

Gates watched him as he continued, startled that he would come clean to him, "She deserves a lot better then me. And when she was with you… at least you worked hard to please her. I hid. I was scared. And I don't know if I can bring her though all this right now."

"I know how it feels," Gates replied, "You don't want to hurt her and you don't want to show her you're weak. I'm not saying get back together with her, Ray; I'm saying to call her. To show her you care. Show her she's not at fault and that you don't blame her for what happened."

Ray nodded, "You're an okay guy, Gates," he replied after a moment, "But I'm not calling her because you want me to."

Gates nodded and Ray continued, "I'll call her for her. I'm not calling her so you can feel better about whatever mistakes you've made in your life. I'm calling for her. Remember that!"

Gates smiled and nodded at Ray, happy to see the young man finally break from the stubbornness that seemed to haunt him. The two men didn't have to say a word as Gates turned to leave the hospital room; their faces said it all. The two men were never going to get along as friends, it was way past that stage now, but they understood each other. And they just had to accept the fact that as long as Neela was in their lives, they would have to agree to disagree.

Gates left the hospital and got in his car, returning to the hotel room he rented out only long enough to grab his suitcases and call Sarah at her grandparents. She complained saying she wanted to be home in time to see someone and Gates promised that he'd be there to pick her up tomorrow.

* * *

**Teaser**

_She turned around and glared at him and Gates heart sunk._


	18. Sorry

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
Chapter Seventeen  
"Sorry"

* * *

_"See there's this place in me where your fingerprints still rest, your kisses still linger, and your whispers softly echo. It's the place where a part of you will forever be a part of me."_

* * *

Gates returned home to Chicago the next day, dropping Sarah off at her friend's place since she was 'dying' to hear about whatever she missed over the first half of spring break. Gates was happy to oblige given all he wanted to do was go home and relax. 

Sarah had noticed the sudden change in Tony's behaviour over the last month. He was no longer as happy as he used to be. He moped around a lot and tended to 'space out'. Tony knew he was being strange and knew the reason because of it. Sam.

Gates got to his apartment and almost lost his mind when he entered the little home and was greeted by the ringing of the phone. It was work, telling him he was needed and that they hoped he had fun on his 'vacation'. Gates agreed to come in, not having enough energy to argue, and quickly changed.

The E.R. was busting at the seams with patients. It had been a hectic day and Gates' heart skipped a beat when he seen Sam yelling at a patient in the waiting room.

"I hear you, but you're going to have to wait!" she yelled, her face and tone showing how tired and annoyed she was.

The patient, a middle aged man, wasn't taking to her yelling very well and responded in the same manner, "Don't you yell at me, you little bitch, just get me a bed!"

"You know what?" Sam yelled and was about to get in the guy's face when Gates put his hand on her shoulder, stopping her.

"Just leave him there, he's obviously not sick enough to get in," Gates said, leading her back inside the E.R. The patient protested behind them, screaming that he indeed was sick, but neither Sam nor Gates responded.

"Long day?" Gates asked and Sam nodded, looking up at him with tired eyes.

"Yeah, friggin' hell in here," she replied. Tony nodded and smiled at her, putting his hand on her shoulder again. Sam wanted so badly to melt right there but she knew she couldn't give in to him. So instead she shrugged him away, "Tony, we can't…"

"Sam, I didn't," Gates replied but was cut off my Sam.

"Don't," was all she said and walked away, glaring at him. Gates watched her for a moment, his heart sinking as he caught the look she was giving him, and then went to the break room to drop off his coat.

…

The E.R. was bustling with patients and, even though only three hours had past, Gates had already seen the trauma rooms fill up four times. He was too tired to complain and Pratt was the only one that seemed to notice the change in his behaviour.

"What's going on, Gates?" Pratt asked and Tony shrugged.

"Tired is all," he replied.

"Busy night?" he asked with a grin and Gates chuckled.

"Not really, no," he smiled, "How's you and the girlfriend? You guys have been going out for a while now."

Pratt shook his head, "Didn't work out,"

Tony frowned, "Sorry," but Pratt shrugged it off, seeming to not mind the comment.

The two were interrupted by a patient, who had Sam pinned against the glass entrance doors of the E.R. "What part of 'Get me a bed' was hard to understand?" he screamed, his hands around her neck. Pratt and Gates ran towards the door, the patient falling forward as they opened and landing on top of Sam. Gates grabbed the guy by the shirt, pulling him off of her, and security arrived to take him away.

"Sam, you okay?" Pratt asked, as Sam sat up, coughing.

"Yeah," she said between coughs and Pratt frowned as she tried to get up and winced.

"What hurts?" he asked.

Sam's hand went to her back, "Must have hurt myself when I fell. I'm okay," she added and Pratt shook his head.

"I can't have you working here like this," he replied, "Gates, take Sam home." Sam looked up at Gates who caught the look in her eyes and began to protest, "We don't need you here, I only asked you to come in for a couple hours. Sam should get home."

Gates was about to open his mouth and object but Sam shook it off, "I'm fine, Pratt, really…" but Pratt shook his head, repeating that Gates was to take Sam home.

"You've been here 15 hours today, Sam, go home!" he stated and got up off of the floor, helping Sam up as he went. Gates quickly put his arm around her back, settling it under her arm and pulled her closer to him as she groaned. Gates sat her down on one of the chairs in the waiting room and told her he'd be back in a second after he got their belongings from the break room.

…

Gates arrived at Sam's apartment building and helped her up to her place. She winced in pain a couple times and Gates felt bad, knowing the movement was only causing the pain to worsen. He helped her into her apartment and led her over to her couch, where she settled in.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked, trying to make things not as awkward.

Sam shook her head, "I'm fine," she replied quietly and Gates nodded. He turned to leave after Sam focused her attention elsewhere but turned around before he made it out the door.

"Sam, I…I… I'm sorry about everything," he declared and Sam looked up at him nervously, "I didn't mean to and… I… it was all a misunderstanding. I just want you to know that I never meant to hurt you."

Sam looked up at him for a moment, tears forming in her eyes before Gates turned and left.

* * *

"_Sorry about last night,"_


	19. Fear

**PROBLEM(ATIC)  
**Torn Between the Two  
Chapter Eighteen  
"Fear"

* * *

_"I don't fear insects or spiders. At great heights, I jump off, smiling. In the face of death I wink. But, when I look into your eyes, I'm in fear of how much I love you."_

* * *

Gates drove the streets of Chicago for about two hours, driving with no apparent final destination. He merely drove, his mind racing all the while as he wandered the streets. He kicked himself for leaving Sam alone in the apartment; worrying that she would be hurt. She took quite a fall and, even though she was a tough girl, he was worried about her. But in the same sense, she looked at him in an almost frightened manner.

Was she really scared of him? He couldn't understand it. He probably would never understand Sam. Especially not now, she wouldn't even go near him.

Tony's driving became more aggressive the more he drove. His turns sharper, his speed increasing. The more he thought about, what he supposed, he was doing wrong, the worse he drove.

His mind continued to play off scenarios in his head, scenarios of what he could possibly do to make Sam trust him again, but he seemed to come to no conclusion. He supposed he should just tell her the truth, that telling her what really happened would perhaps make things all better. He wondered why he didn't just say that earlier when he was in her apartment.

Just as Gates began to see what he was going to do, he ran a red light, not paying attention to anything at this moment, and almost ran into another car. He quickly swerved and slammed on his breaks, taking a shuttering, deep breath before he turned around in his seat to see the other car had already left the scene. He took another few moments to calm himself down before he pressed down on the gas petal and headed back. He had to tell her, what was he going to lose?

Gates drove just below the speed limit until he reached Sam's apartment building. He parked the car, got out, and headed for the front entrance. He stood in the glass box of the entrance, staring at the button with the name 'Taggart' on it for almost a full minute before buzzing it. There was a long pause before Sam came on the intercom and asked who it was.

"It's me… Gates," he paused, trying to think of what to say, "I… Can we talk?"

Sam took a moment to respond but after a moment, buzzed him in. Gates let out a sigh of relief but was soon tense again, realizing he'd have to talk to her.

Sam headed towards the door of her apartment, her hand on the back of her neck trying to work the sore muscles. She never realized how much falling could hurt until she landed right on her back earlier. _Remind me never to piss off drunken men_ she thought and reached the door. Sam waited for a moment, her mind racing as she waited to hear a knock at the door.

Did she really want to talk to him? In a way yes but in many ways no. She felt used. She felt betrayed. She felt… stupid. He made her feel replaceable and Sam hated that feeling. She wanted to yell and hit him for making her feel so stupid.

Just then, Gates knocked on the apartment door and Sam took a deep breath. She closed her eyes for a moment and then turned around and unlocked the door, opening it and inviting him inside.

Sam walked back over to the couch, leaving Gates in the doorway for a moment. He watched as she gently sat down on the couch and he sighed as she looked away from him. He closed the apartment door and walked over to the couch, sitting down on the other side, facing her. Sam turned around to look at him, hugging her knees, before she spoke.

"You came here to say something, so say it," she said and Gates noticed by her tone that she was trying to keep herself composed. Her voice cracked more and wasn't as flowing.

Gates looked at her for a moment, trying to read her face, before he spoke, "When you saw me with Neela… I wasn't cheating, Sam," he replied and noticed how Sam tensed at Neela's name, "She was upset and I was trying to comfort her. I understand how it may have looked but… I… I'm not interested in her, Sam, I'm interested in you."

Sam looked away for a moment; evidently trying to keep herself calm, " But you were with her before that?" her question was more of a statement and Gates nodded, "So you think I'm stupid? You have a nickname for her, you tease her, and now you comfort her? And you're telling me that you're not interested?"

"So what if I have a nickname for her, Sam? Yes, we were involved before, but the key word there is 'before'. I don't want her, Sam. I want you," Gates protested but Sam shook her head.

"How can I believe you?" she asked, tears forming in her eyes, "How can I trust you? You're just going to be like every other guy I've been with. When things get tough, you're not going to fight."

Gates shook his head, "I'm fighting for you now, aren't I?" Sam buried her face in her knees, crying, and Gates pulled her closer to him, " Trust me, okay? I… I'm falling in love with you, Sam."

The brunette looked up at him, a shocked expression on her face, and before Gates even understood what was happening, Sam kissed him. He kissed her back, but not passionately like they'd been before, but in an almost tender manner.

Gates pulled away from the kiss and pulled Sam closer towards his chest, kissing her hair as they sat there. A couple minutes later, Sam spoke.

"I'm scared, Tony," she said quietly, her face still buried in his chest and Gates looked down at her.

"Scared of what?"

"I'm scared that if I let myself fall in love with you that… that you're going to hurt me," she replied and Gates kissed her head again.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Sam," he whispered quietly and Sam smiled, pushing him back into the couch. She curled up beside him, using up the little bit of room between him and the back of the couch, before nuzzling herself closer to him. Gates smiled at her as she slowly calmed down, her breathing becoming more paced. It wasn't until a couple minutes later that the two were lulled into slumber by the sounds of each other's breathing.

…

Sam awoke a couple hours later and went to stretch a little bit before noticing her sleeping partner. Gates hadn't moved from the spot on the couch even though it was probably uncomfortable. It was something as small as that that made Sam smile for it was then that she realized just how much he did care about her.

And Sam wasn't going to deny it; she was falling for him. She started that descend into bliss over a month ago. She realized the giddiness when he first called her beautiful; she realized the love when he told her she was a good mother. Sam wasn't shocked that she fell so fast but it was how hard and how far she fell that made her realize that this was going to be different. That month apart was hell. She couldn't sleep, she couldn't eat. She didn't want to do anything that she would normally do. The only thing keeping her together was going to see Alex, something she looked forward to all the time.

Sam kissed Tony's chest and nuzzled closer, her hand clutching his shirt, not wanting him to ever leave. But she knew he was probably not in a comfortable state and she began to kiss her way up to his lips. He stirred a couple seconds later, slowly waking from his slumber, and kissed her back as she met his lips.

"I could get used to this," he mumbled, his voice still low having just woken up. It sent shivers down Sam's spine but she ignored the urge to jump his bones and slowly crawled over his body. She gave him a final kiss before standing on the floor in front of the couch and tugging on his shirt, urging him to get up.

"Where am I going?" he asked.

Sam smiled, "To bed," she replied, still tugging on his shirt, "My couch isn't the comfiest place to sleep…"

"I don't mind," he grinned, "How's your back?"

Sam shrugged, "Like I said, I've had worse. A little fall isn't going to kill me…"

Gates smiled and got up from the couch, letting Sam lead him over to her bedroom and into the bed. He smiled as she curled up beside him again with a small yawn and attempted to fall back asleep. Tony kissed her lips softly before going back to sleep himself.

* * *

Thanks so much everyone for reading! You will be updated on what happens soon, I promise! The next story is entitled: 'Breakdown'.

_"The two are finally a couple. But will a new hot doctor come between them?"_

Add me to Author Alerts so you know when I release it!


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